


Familiar

by nyghtmare, UnknownSatellite84



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Amnesia, Anal Sex, Angst, Begging, Dissociation, Drunken sex, Dubcon Kissing, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Eventual Relationships, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phone Sex, Pleasure Sphere, Rimming, Sassy!Rhys, Sexual Tension, Shibari, Smut, Unhealthy Relationships, Voyeurism, eventual Rhack, fashion - Freeform, verse!Katagawa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:54:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25929217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyghtmare/pseuds/nyghtmare, https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownSatellite84/pseuds/UnknownSatellite84
Summary: Katagawa Jr sends Rhys, his lover and coworker, on a mission to assassinate Handsome Jack. But Rhys stumbles across some dark secrets along the way.
Relationships: Handsome Jack/Rhys (Borderlands), Katagawa Jr./Rhys (Borderlands)
Comments: 92
Kudos: 128





	1. The Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> Satellite and I (Nyghtmare) are back at it again, this time with a long fic! :) We hope you enjoy it!

** PART I: HYPERION **

_ Rhys’s back hit the wall and Katagawa stumbled into him, knocking the breath from him. He would have laughed, but Katagawa’s lips were on his, stealing the breath from his lungs, heavy and dominant. He could taste the ice cream and alcohol they had shared on Katagawa’s tongue and groaned, instantly melting into the kiss. Gripping the lapels of Katagawa’s suit, he tried to pull the man closer. _

_ Katagawa’s hands tugged at Rhys’s shirt, seeming desperate to get beneath and map out the smooth expanse of skin. Rhys found himself arching into the touch, but even through the alcohol and lust-fueled haze, he remembered they were still in the hall outside the penthouse elevator at Maliwan HQ. _

_ He broke the kiss. “Kat,” he breathed out. “We should--” _

_ Katagawa’s lips trailed down Rhys’s jaw to his neck, teeth grazing skin, sending a shudder down Rhys’s spine. He sucked a mark into the skin, drawing a groan from Rhys’s lips before soothing the mark with a flick of his tongue. Rhys’s hands moved to Katagawa’s back, pulling. _

_ Rhys knew any one of their coworkers could walk by, not that it would be the first time they had been caught making out in public, but being caught tipsy and practically humping each other right beside the elevator? Well, that wasn’t exactly how he wanted to be remembered. _

_ Still… It did feel incredibly good, and with his lowered inhibitions, he could almost not care. Katagawa was making it so hard to concentrate. He bit at the patch of skin over Rhys’s tattoo, sucking harshly on it as if determined to leave his mark. His thigh slipped between Rhys’s legs, and Rhys found himself grinding desperately down on it, gasping Katagawa’s name. _

_ “Mngh, fuck…” Rhys gasped. “Bed… bed.  _ Now! _ ” _

_ “Whyyy?” Katagawa whined with a huff. Rhys pushed at his chest in an attempt to put some distance between them. Katagawa didn’t budge. His hand dropped down, cupping Rhys’s trapped arousal and giving him a firm squeeze. Rhys bucked into his hand. “I need you naked right now!” _

_ A low moan escaped Rhys’s throat, and he tugged Katagawa back in by the lapels, crushing their lips together. He blindly reached out for the elevator controls with his cybernetic hand in the hopes of triggering the sensor. A second later, he vaguely registered the unlocking, happy  _ ding!  _ of the door. He and Katagawa stumbled inside. The elevator was swift, thankfully, or Rhys might’ve been ruined right then and there. _

_ They made it into the dim penthouse, nearly tripping over Rhys’s packed luggage in the process. Katagawa hauled Rhys against him, lips still roaming over any reachable bit of skin. They didn’t quite make it to the bed. Instead, Katagawa shoved Rhys down into a pile of pillows he liked to keep around for such occasions. Katagawa leaned over him, framed in neon light spilling through the window. _

_ “Wa-wait, Kat…” Rhys mumbled, hand between them, braced on Katagawa’s chest, and Katagawa tilted his head. There was a small pause.  _

_ “What?”  _

_ “I’m getting ready to leave for who knows how long. I know you. You’ll be with others while I’m away, and I...” _

_ Katagawa pulled a face he did whenever he realized Rhys was displeased. A cute sort of face with a winning, million dollar smile. Rhys let out a sigh. Katagawa kissed his forehead, confident as ever. “Just because you’ll be away doesn’t mean you will stop being  _ mine _ , Rhys.” Katagawa got closer, their breaths mingling. “These others can’t even compare to you…”  _

_ Rhys shuddered. _

_ Katagawa went on. “I’ll call every night… Or you can. You can participate, if you want.” Rhys bit his lip. “You won’t be replaced. I don’t even know their names. I never do. I’ve gotta have my outlets, baby. You know that.” _

_ Rhys sighed again. He wasn’t normally opposed to Katagawa’s….habits, because they weren’t meaningful, but tonight, he was fighting with his worries. It made him pathetically clingy. He fought with his own wants, tangling his hands into Katagawa’s lapels and pressing his face against his boyfriend’s shoulder. _

_ Katagawa tensed. _

_ Rhys ignored it and mumbled. “I just… I might not come back, because…” _

_ It was Katagawa's turn to sigh, his hand tracing Rhys’s shoulder. Katagawa’s finger went under his chin and tilted his head up, making eye contact. “Maybe you shouldn’t do this, Rhys,” Katagawa murmured, eyes intense slits. His mouth twitched. “It would do so much for Maliwan, for me, but if you can’t do it, then you can just stay here… We’ll deal with Hyperion a different way.” He kissed Rhys’s neck. “Those slobs have nothing on us.” _

_ “No, no,” Rhys muttered, shaking his head. He didn’t want to disappoint. Or be weak. Even if there was a part of him that...also  _ did _. “It’s not like this is my first ever mission… And he has to be stopped. I can do this for Maliwan...and  _ you _.” _

_ Katagawa lit up. “Buddy, you never cease to impress me.You’ve never failed your assignments before, have ya?” Katagawa purred. “So good. Perfect. For me.” _

_ Rhys shivered, hands coming up the back of Katagawa’s neck to encourage his mouth into his own. Normally, the term ‘buddy’ made him less than pleased, but tonight, he just wanted the touches, attention, reassurances. “And I get to meet your dad, right?” _

_ “Of course.” _

_ “Katagawa-” _

_ “Enough talk.” Katagawa ground against him, making Rhys moan into his mouth. Rhys tugged on Katagawa, trying to encourage him even closer. Katagawa wiggled into a better position, their clothed erections pressing together. He undulated against Rhys, their bodies moving in sync. The kiss broke, a string of saliva connecting their lips. “I was starting to get blue balls,” Katagawa joked. He moved harder. _

_ In spite of the pleasure and their conversation, Rhys’s desperation for reassurance only grew. “Kat, I just… I’m- I’m gonna miss you.” He pulled at his boyfriend again, anxious. _

_ “I know, baby. I’m gonna miss you too. A lot. You’ll come back, though. I know it.” _

_ Rhys’s hands shoved at Katagawa’s suit jacket, and Katagawa helped shrug it off, tossing it aside. They both moved and twisted to shed their shirts without pulling fully apart, tongues and teeth clashing together in a sloppy, intermittent kiss.  _

_ Once freed of their tops, Rhys shoved Katagawa back into a sitting position, straddling Katagawa’s lap. The press of their damp skin left him heady. His hands explored newly exposed skin, tracing over the vast network of tattoos colouring the pale flesh down Kat’s torso and back, with a sleeve on one arm. He loved admiring Kat’s ink so much. There were animals, plants, stars, and so much more. Sometimes he made new “discoveries” in the tattoos. He traced every groove, every curve of an exposed rib or dip of muscle beneath his fingertips as if mapping it out, committing it to memory for his time away.  _

_ Katagawa grunted, impatient. He flipped them back over and began kissing down Rhys’ collarbone, trailing wet kisses down over his chest. His gloved hands rubbed down Rhys’ sides, the rough material making Rhys squirm with pleasure, arching into the touch. Teeth grazed down over a nipple, and Rhys gasped. Katagawa bit down on Rhys’s nipple, drawing a moan from Rhys’s lips. He sucked at the abused flesh before soothing the hurt with his tongue, moving to treat the other, neglected nub just the same. _

_ Rhys’s fingers flexed. He had the urge to grab Katagawa’s hair and yank, but he knew his boyfriend hated when he messed it up. He settled for gripping at a pillow beside his head with his cybernetic hand, clenching so hard, he heard a slight rip from its threads. His flesh hand wrapped around Katagawa’s bicep as deft fingers worked open his pants. _

_ Shifting onto his knees between Rhys’s legs, Katagawa yanked Rhys’s pants and underwear down, pulling away to finish removing Rhys’s clothes. He tossed them aside, letting his eyes roam hungrily over Rhys’s naked body. Rhys moaned, meeting Katagawa’s gaze, cock twitching where it lay, heavy and leaking on his stomach. He swallowed thickly, shuddering beneath the hungry look in his boyfriend’s dark eyes. Katagawa grinned like a hungry wolf before a feast. His gloved hands slid up Rhys’s thighs, spreading them. _

_ “Kat…please…” he breathed out, not even sure what he was asking for. For pleasure? Or reprieve? For a way out of the days to come? Or maybe just to forget for a while… He was on fire, desperate now. He needed to be touched, needed the friction back on his neglected cock. Needed the closeness of Katagawa’s body pressed against his. _

_ “Get up,” Katagawa said. “Come on, turn around and get on your knees.” _

_ A little surprised by the change, Rhys scrambled to obey, moving so he was kneeling, ass in the air for Katagawa as he dropped down, his cock hanging heavy between his legs. He had to resist the urge to touch himself. There was something especially thrilling about this position. _

_ He could feel the warmth of Katagawa’s breath against his ass as the man moved between his legs. A shudder raced up his spine, drawing a whimper from his lips. His toes curled, body tensing in anticipation. Katagawa’s tongue teased Rhys’s hole, swiping over the tight entrance, up and down, drawing a soft gasp from Rhys’s lips. Kat teased him, pushing the tip in.  _

_ But he didn’t give him more, just waited, hands gripping Rhys’s thighs harshly. Rhys knew the bastard was smirking. Rhys groaned in frustration at the nothing, the lack of movement. He knew Katagawa was messing with him, but every nerve ending was on edge. His body trembled. He cursed under his breath, feeling Katagawa’s tongue pull back. Kat licked his perineum coyly, gently and Rhys whimpered, everything worse now. It happened again, causing a violent shudder through Rhys’s body. On the third swipe, Katagawa’s tongue brushed his balls. _

_ “Kat…” Rhys breathed, “please. I ne--oh fuck!” _

_ The tongue shoved inside and Rhys pushed back onto it, moaning Katagawa’s name as it stretched him open. Katagawa curled his tongue inside of Rhys, thrusting it. Gradually he picked up the pace, giving Rhys no reprieve from the sensations. _

_ Rhys moaned -- knowing what was happening, feeling it; it was absolutely filthy. A gloved digit joined the action, tracing Rhys's rim. The leather was rough, pulling a bit as Katagawa began to push it in beside his tongue. Katagawa never had any shame, and always thought of the lewdest acts. _

_ “O-oh fuck,” Rhys groaned out, trembling in a mix of pleasure and pain. The finger sunk into him, aided only by the slickness of saliva. A wave of arousal shot through him, and his cock lurched, drooling precum heavily onto the ground below. Katagawa only gave him a second to adjust before the finger was curling inside Rhys, his devilish tongue moving again, thrusting into Rhys’s shaking body. _

_ Rhys should have been ashamed of the sounds that were coming out of his mouth, but he didn’t care. He might’ve blamed the alcohol, but he knew even sober him loved Katagawa’s ministrations. Katagawa’s tongue dipped and curled and moved inside of him. Rhys gasped and moaned, rubbing his face on a soft pillow and begging for more in a muffled voice. “Please! Kat! I’m so close...” _

_ Katagawa slid his unoccupied palm up Rhys’s inner thigh. His hand found its target, teasing Rhys’s balls, rolling his palm over them. Rhys exhaled and rocked his hips onto the hand, grinding against the texture of the leather. He keened. The rough glove slid down Rhys’s cock, squeezing like a vice, almost painful, but mostly satisfying. It jerked up and down. _

_ It was too much, so much. Rhys didn’t mean for it to happen so quickly after that, but it was too much. He gasped, moaning Katagawa’s name as his orgasm hit him. His body went rigid, toes curling and hands clenching the pillows as he came, his ejaculate dribbling out over Katagawa’s fingers.Katagawa continued stroking him through his release, and for a few blissful moments, Rhys’s mind was blank, pleasure clouding his thoughts. Lost in the haze of the orgasmic ecstasy and drunken release, everything seemed alright. _

_ Katagawa chuckled, the sound almost cruel. It drew Rhys’s attention back to the room. The muscles in his thighs burned and trembled, but Rhys didn’t give them relief. “My turn,” Katagawa purred, pressing a kiss to Rhys’ ass cheek. “Don’t move.” Rhys heard him shifting and the clinking of his belt buckle. “You’ve been such a good boy for me, you know that?” _

_ “Wait, I want to see you,” Rhys whined. “Kat--” _

_ “Not tonight, Rhys. I want you just like this.” _

_ Rhys didn’t have time to argue. Katagawa gave it to him in a solid, firm thrust that made Rhys cry out. It was much too soon to be stimulated like this again. Katagawa let out a laugh and started a wicked pace. Or perhaps it was an attempt to mercifully speed things up for Rhys. It felt more like the former, harsh and unrelenting. It wasn’t that Rhys was in pain, but his oversensitivity was  _ overbearing. _ Rhys clawed at the pillows, eyes shut tight and body trembling. He couldn’t stop the noises from spilling out of him, needing a vent for all the sensations and emotions. Tears welled in his eyes, but he enjoyed this. He took it with pride and love, puffing on air.  _

_ Gods, his legs really needed a rest. _

_ “Yes, that’s it,” Katagawa said. “I like you just like this, Rhys, all needy and helpless under me.” _

_ If Rhys didn’t have physical limitations, he probably would’ve come again. And if he wasn't so fucked out of it, he also might've said something smart. Instead, he felt a bit of drool leak from his lips. He swiped his tongue, swallowing. _

_ Katagawa didn’t take long. He slotted himself against Rhys and came, orgasm marked by the thick warmth filling Rhys. “Rhyyys,” Katagawa moaned.  _

_ Rhys sighed in relief when the movement ended, but there was a part of him that missed it, all the same. He missed the closeness of their bodies. Katagawa withdrew from him, and Rhys slumped into the messy pillows, knees giving way. The desperate neediness came back over him, somehow worse than before. He felt like something was  _ missing _. He rolled over and looked back at Katagawa, who was standing up, tucking himself back into his pants, starting to stroll away. As usual. Rhys wanted to grab him and pull him back, have him touch every inch of his body in a calming manner. Have his fingers run down his scalp and neck as he murmured in his ear. _

_ “I’m going to shower.” _

_ “Kat-” Rhys started, hugging one of the few pillows that had escaped fluids and abuse to his chest. _

_ Katagawa paused, glancing over his shoulder. “Yes?” _

_ “I…” Rhys swallowed. He knew. A part of him knew better, but he couldn’t help it. “Do you wanna lay down with me?” He tried, timidly. _

_ Katagawa’s brows raised and he walked back over, ruffling Rhys’s hair like one might with a silly dog. Still, Rhys basked in the short-lived affection. “You really gotta work on this clinginess, Rhys! It’s still getting in the way of your potential. How will you get on without me at Hyperion?! You are cute though, I’ll give you that.” _

_ Rhys said nothing as Katagawa left the room. He sat up, cum leaking out of him, naked and alone. Somehow, the feeling of something missing deepened inside of him. He tightened his arms around the pillow, drew his knees up, and waited for the shower. _

* * *

Rhys looked up at the poster of Handsome Jack - Hyperion Propaganda - above his bed, sighing. He’d come out of the Echo memory, and honestly, he just felt lonelier than before. He wanted someone with him, someone he could trust. Namely, Katagawa himself.

Here at Hyperion, he didn’t have anyone. And he’d been here almost three months with little success in his mission. Handsome Jack was an oddly illusive and paranoid man.

The Handsome Jack poster grinned back at him, a gun in one hand, a cleaved, bloody bandit mask in the other. He certainly had an aesthetic. 

_ I guess? _

Rhys sighed, glaring at Jack for a moment. 

He rolled over and resigned himself to waiting a bit longer. He peered at a business case by the bed that contained a handful of weapons: a dagger, a multi-fire Maliwan sniper (top of the line), a pistol small enough to be concealed in a sleeve, and plenty of ammo. Rhys’s favored item, though, was the potent poison Katagawa had helped him concoct, stored in a small vial tucked neatly in a secret pocket, surrounded by soft material to protect it. To any average onlooker, the case just looked like a simple business one. But Rhys knew it was a means to an end. The end of Hyperion.

Surely, he’d take down Handsome Jack before long. And then he could go home.

He typed on his Echo Eye chat:  _ Miss you, Kat, _ before powering down and turning the lights off. 

But sleep did not come easily to the homesick man.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Back agian with chapter two! Hope you guys enjoy the story! Please leave us a kudo or a comment and let us know!

There was no response from Kat when Rhys woke that morning. Not surprising, given how easy it was for his boyfriend to get distracted. So Rhys got ready for his job at programming. Even if he hated working for Hyperion, he had to maintain the facade of a job. All for the greater good, he told himself.

Tomorrow would officially mark three months since he had assimilated into life on Helios, into his job as a programmer. Three months since he'd left the penthouse and traded the luxury of the Zanara for this shitty little cupboard he could barely call an apartment.

Despite the downgrade, the hardest part of being on Helios was the loneliness. He had no one. No one to talk to, no one to rely on. He hadn’t come to make friends, so he'd poured every second he could spare into his mission. He was there to find out why Handsome Jack was attacking Maliwan’s operations and to also put an end to the man himself, although the latter was more important.

Rhys had been less than thrilled at the idea of this mission (he loathed being away from Katagawa, from safety, from his home), but he had to. The push had turned to shove when Katagawa had almost been a victim of Handsome Jack's antics. Kat had gone out to investigate a site when it was attacked. He was the only one who had made it back alive, scuffed and bleeding, hair askew, eyes bright with pain. Rhys had never been so frantic in his life, thinking of how he could have lost him.

Rhys had also been furious. He'd almost lost his boyfriend, and for what? What had Jack gained out of that? None of the other companies seemed to know why Hyperion was attacking Maliwan either. They didn't even seem to acknowledge it was happening at all. Did no one care?

When Katagawa had first proposed the job, Rhys had thought it would be over with swiftly. Afterall, with a personality as big as Jack's, it shouldn't have been that hard to get to him...right? 

_ Wrong _ .

All this time at Hyperion, getting to the king had been impossible. Attempts to get info kept going sideways until he wanted to yank all his hair out. Rhys had found that Hyperion workers were either incredibly tight-lipped or incredibly dumb. Or both. Trying to pry out even the simplest of information on Handsome Jack was tiring. Three carefully-hacked terminals in exec offices later, and he still had no clue how best to single out Hyperion’s leader. 

Jack kept his secrets close to his chest. Even simple info like meetings was almost unobtainable. Or rather, it was confusing. Jack had designed his system to where he scheduled multiple events at once. Rhys guessed he only showed for one, to throw off anyone trying to track him. So, Rhys himself.

Rhys had gone to parties and meetings low-level employees probably had no right being at. He'd gone to fancy restaurants and stores that should have been outside his pay grade. He’d gone to attractions and events that he had no invite to. All to catch the barest glimpse of the man, but nothing. All he'd learned about Jack was the man seemed elusive and paranoid—if the rumors about airlocking employees were anything to go by. 

The only thing Rhys had learned was that Jack didn’t seem to care about anything but himself.

At least Maliwan prided itself on being a big family, and it truly was, at least from what Rhys was allowed to see of it. He still needed to prove himself to be fully accepted into that family. This mission was also his chance to do so. 

Annnd he owed it to Katagawa. His life, in fact. Katagawa had saved him a year ago. 

He hadn’t remembered much of what happened on that day apart from waking up with a headache in the arms of his now-boyfriend, but Katagawa had filled him in on the rest. His ship had crash-landed in one of Maliwan’s territories and he’d sustained severe injuries, but Katagawa had managed to get him to a doctor in time to save him. Rhys had suffered some sort of amnesia from the crash, and remembered only pieces of his past. It had been hard at first, not knowing much of himself, but Katagawa had stayed by his side the entire time. Over time, some memories had gradually come back to him. 

Such as his love of froyo. 

Aaand-and also the fact he was somehow a professional hacker and assassin, who’d run some interesting jobs. Those still felt oddly fake to him, as if the memories were not his own. Rhys just couldn’t imagine being sneaky and badass, if he were honest. Probably had to do with how he hit his head in that crash. 

Maybe it was why he was struggling so much now to track down his elusive query.

Oh, he also remembered something about a treasure hunter and a talking ratch. He figured  _ that  _ was more of a hallucination than anything. He was fine.

He  _ would _ prove himself. Even if the mission was infuriating. Whether he was truly assassin or that was some fluke of his cybernetics, Jack needed to be stopped. No more innocent lives needed to be lost. And he wanted to protect his boyfriend.

Despite all his reasons for knowing the opposite, he was beginning to  _ feel _ it might not be worth it. He sighed and slumped into his chair, disappointment crawling through his heart.

He missed Katagawa. He missed the Zanara, even. Though he often contacted Katagawa through calls, he felt so solitary, isolated. He missed the touches, the closeness of their flesh when they fucked. He even missed that crazy cat on the Zanara that kept trying to swat him in his sleep. He missed the damned butler. He missed his sorta-friend Dianna from the lounge, and shit... Helios felt empty without these things.

When Rhys left programming for the night, he wandered into a food market at Helios, intensely lonely.

He felt stupid. He was frustrated. How had he not found anything out yet? He was an expert hacker and assassin for crying out loud. This should’ve been a cakewalk! Was he really so useless now? 

He kicked a trash can angrily. It tumbled over loudly, drawing some nearby gazes. Rhys didn't care. 

“Rhys?”

Hearing his name from an unfamiliar voice sent a bolt of adrenaline through his system. For a second, all he could conceive was that he was somehow caught. Wide-eyed, he swung his gaze toward the noise, hoping he’d misheard. He saw a woman in heels, a skirt, and glasses. She had short-styled hair and an open-mouth expression. “Holy shit! Is that really you?” 

How had he been recognized? Was it someone from Maliwan? Surely not… And even though he worked with Katagawa, he wasn’t well-known himself. He mostly did from-home work for Kat - all temporary, until he proved himself truly ready to join the family. In fact, Katagawa preferred he didn’t have many acquaintances or coworkers beyond a select few until that time.

So, no, she couldn’t be Maliwan.

She started to approach him, still wide-eyed. 

Rhys felt a cold dread wash over him. Three months at Hyperion, and this was how he got caught? Some random stranger in the food market? Part of him irrationally considered the idea that Hyperion had some sort of mind reading technology, with how paranoid Jack was, it wouldn't surprise him. Why did she look shocked, though? He would’ve expected anger, or a yelling for guards. Either way, he was  _ not _ staying around to find out.

Rhys fled, dodging through people, dashing through the market, expecting a chase. Once he’d put a good fifteen minutes of space between himself and that particular market, he slowed. Pausing, heaving, he looked behind him. There was no pursuit. Doubling over, he caught his breath. He couldn’t understand what had just happened, and honestly, he didn’t really want to. With a more level head, he realized it was probably just some observant busy-body. He’d misread the situation, and let his anxiety get the best of him. She just knew him from programming or something, that was all. 

_ Way to overreact and look suspicious, Rhys. _

Hopefully he’d just...be assumed to have been under some sort of influence. It was better than being thought of as a traitor to Hyperion. Only one of those would get him airlocked.

When Rhys straightened up, he saw a neon advertisement for a small, homely-looking bar. He exhaled. That sounded perfect.

All of this was stupid, and he just wanted to get tipsy and then turn in early. He needed a break from this work of his. Maybe he could call Kat and pleasure himself for his boyfriend. It had been too long and surely some new inspiration would come to him after unwinding. 

Rhys walked into the bar and sat down. He ordered a fancy drink, one that was a nice gold color and supposed to be honey flavor. When it was served, he took a deep swig impatiently. It was good. Very good. Especially for the surprisingly-friendly enough price tag. Tilting the glass back, he gulped more of the sweet, burning liquid.

He heard a deep chuckle behind him.

“Whoa, needing to drown something in your stomach, pumpkin?”

Rhys blinked, mind frozen. He lowered his glass, as if in slow motion before he turned his head with astonishment. 

Two surprises for one night? Out of all the places, all the ways he could have run into the man… All the things he has done since he arrived, it couldn't be...

Handsome Jack??

Indeed, the man stood there in all his...Handsome...Jack-ness? 

Rhys felt seriously underwhelmed. 

He’d read a lot on the man, researched what he could, even watched dumb Hyperion propaganda vids.  _ This  _ was  _ the _ famous Handsome Jack? He couldn’t put a finger on it, but it was weirdly disappointing. He’d thought Jack would be...more... _ something _ . But that was probably because of the adverts. 

His mind started churning. His heart beat faster. He prayed this was not related to the woman in the market, but that seemed unlikely. “H-Handsome Jack, sir-”

“Could  _ I  _ buy you something, princess, seeing as you’ll be done with that one pretty quick by the looks of things?” His tone was entertained.

Oh. Not caught. 

Handsome Jack was... _ interested _ in him? Well. Rhys had been looking for an access. It was probably better he wasn’t impressed. He would be a mess otherwise and screw this up. He nodded, albeit guardedly. “Of course, sir.”

Jack grinned with perfect teeth, set in that perfect jaw and perfect, masked face. He was so perfect, it was almost fake. Maybe that was the problem. Rhys wasn’t interested in fake things - who knew how much was plastic surgery, make up, and more he was looking at.

Jack sat down next to him, ordering Rhys a drink. He smelled like a man from a cologne commercial, or how Rhys would picture one to, and it just didn’t make a great impression. Rhys knew guys who wore too much cologne, and well, being Jack only made it slightly less terrible. 

Pushing that away, Rhys was quick to think of his options. He had a mission.  _ Should I do a simple recon tonight? Or try to spring for more? May as well if the opportunity presents itself. I have what I need.  _ He watched the broad shoulders and, mentally, he shrugged to himself. Either way, it was fine. He had time. It would be safer to take his time and not test his luck. Jack would be well-defended, even when appearing vulnerable-ish.

Jack hummed. “Soo, what should I call ya, pumpkin?”

“Rhys.”

“Rhys. Great. So’s, what’s a pretty thing like you do around here? Show off them legs?”

“Programming.” Rhys remembered he needed to build Jack’s interest, somehow. “But uh...it’s not the  _ only  _ thing I can do.”

Jack grinned again and sipped his own drink. Jack’s hand landed on Rhys’s thigh without warning, slipping up it. Rhys swallowed, mind blanking. He just stared into Jack’s mismatched, amused gaze. 

Rhys allowed himself to consider if seduction was a worthwhile game. He didn’t… Well, it didn’t sit right with him. Katagawa could be looser with his needs and morals, but Rhys couldn’t, not even for a mission, even though it would be a con. Although, he also knew he was being ridiculous, and he knew Katagawa would agree if he was here.

Jack leaned in and caught his mouth, tongue pushing into Rhys’s mouth without hesitation, tasting of a more bitter alcohol. Something of interest in Rhys sparked, but in a way that left him wary. He knew this wasn’t right. The wrongness seeped down to his bones. He pulled from the kiss and stood, but he couldn’t leave it at this. He’d lose this opportunity. The one he’d been hunting down for months now! The one he’d been extremely lucky to have at all! Who knew when the next one would arrive!

“It’s not that I’m not interested,” Rhys started, swallowed, and tried again, “but I um...I probably shouldn’t…” 

Jack tilted his head. “Uh….did you forget who you’re speaking to, pumpkin? Just gonna run off like I’m a two-bit nobody? Just like that? Why’d you take the damned drink? Pfft, friggin’ gold diggers...”

_ Damn it Rhys, salvage this. Just agree to blow him or something! _ He schooled himself, realizing his hesitancy was killing his opportunity.  _ Just do this. _ He forced himself to move in, return the kiss, open up to it. “S-sorry,” he said, “I just got nervous. I want this.” It was so stilted, how did Jack not notice?

“Makes sense.”

“You got somewhere...uh, more private?” Rhys murmured.

He needed to do his job. And do it right. The sooner, the better. 

Jack’s face split into that perfectly-straight-toothed grin. “Now you’re talkin’. Got a room right over here. What do ya say, cupcake?”

Rhys mustered up a fake smile, learning in close. “Lead the way.”

With a final squeeze to Rhys’ thigh and an atrocious wink, Jack pulled away, and headed straight for a room at the back of the bar without so much as glancing over his shoulder. Rhys figured the man was used to people willingly following him without a second thought.

_ Narcissist.  _

Rhys rolled his eyes and slammed the rest of his drink before he got up and followed after the man. This was it, he was finally going to get his answers even if it meant putting on a little show to get there. If his luck continued, maybe tonight would be his last night at Hyperion. 

He had a small syringe he kept in his vest pocket of the poison he brought, just in case.

He had to be careful not to jump the gun, though.

He followed Jack into a lacklustre back room. There was a couch against the back wall and a table scattered with paperwork, but that was it. Real classy to bring a date back here. How often did the man do this? Did Hyperion lackeys really fall for this? What a personality cult.

Handsome Jack fell back onto the couch, slumping back on the chair like he… Well, he  _ did _ own the place. “Come closer, cupcake, let ol’ Handsome Jack here get a good look at ya.” He grinned and Rhys had to fight a wave of unexpected repulsion. Every cell in his body was against this. At least he could say he wouldn’t cheat. 

Drawing himself up tall and swallowing his pride, Rhys moved towards him. He put on a fake smile and straddled Jack’s hips resting his hands on the man’s shoulders as he settled in Jack’s lap. “So, H-handsome,” he said, fighting his voice. “What do you want from a nobody like me?”

Jack grinned, resting his hands on Rhys’ hips. “Well for starters, I’d love those long legs wrapped around my head.”

Rhys shivered, but not from pleasure. Something felt off, even disregarding everything else with Katagawa… He hadn’t been able to shake it from the start, something was off and he just couldn’t place it. He masked his disgust and leaned in close as he let his ECHO eye boot up. He just hoped Jack didn’t notice it’s soft glow. “And then..?”

“Then I am going to make you scream my name, baby,” Jack purred in that overly confident voice.

Rhys leaned in to whisper in the man’s ear, distracting him while he ran a scan of him. “Do you have what it takes to make me scream?”

“Of course I do, I’m Handsome Ja-- what the hell?!”

The results of the scan came back and Rhys shoved himself away from the man so hard he fell onto the floor and wound up propelling himself further away with his feet, eyes wide. “Y-you.. Who--” He swallowed the lump in his throat as he scrambled to his feet, hastily scanning over the results that his ECHO eye fed back to him.

_Name:_ _Eric Stratenger_ _  
__Occupation: Doppelganger_

“You aren’t Handsome Jack!” Rhys finally snapped, all his frustrations bubbling up to the surface. Of course Handsome Jack would be narcissistic enough to think he needed a body double. Or multiple. How many might there be? Now his job was even harder than before. He should’ve known there would be body doubles. He’d caught some rumors, but hadn’t taken them at face value. Rhys had all the rotten luck!

The man wearing Jack’s face leapt up off the couch, hands raised. “Not Hand--who the hell do ya think you're talkin’ to, princess?!”

“Eric Stra--”

“HOW?” The man whined.

Rhys just glared. “Doesn’t matter!  _ Eric _ !”

“OKAY! You caught me! Fuck fuck fuck, please don’t tell Jack,” the man said, begging now. His hands were raised in a placating manner. A look of fear crossed his face completely erasing the visage of Handsome Jack. How had Rhys ever been fooled? “Please, he  _ will  _ kill me!”

_ “ _ Like that’s worth my damned time! If I could find the real Jack to tell him, we wouldn’t even be here right now!” Rhys realized what he was saying and sighed, attempting to tame his rage.His fists were clenched at his sides and he realised he was shaking with the pent up anger and frustration.

Did this man really think he could use Jack’s face to get laid? And why did that piss Rhys off so much? It’s not like he should care what Jack or his doubles got up to. No, Rhys was just frustrated and tired of getting nowhere.

_ Figures _ , Rhys thought bitterly, no longer trying to hide his look of disgust. Figures he would just find another dead end. And he’d sacrificed a fair bit of his pride doing so. He knew this would have been far too easy.

Scowling, he turned and stormed out, refusing to look at the body double.

Once again, his mood soured into a dark temper.

* * *

Rhys dragged himself back to his dinky apartment, trying to let go of his bitterness. It was a monumental task. Why couldn’t he have one break?

Rhys called Katagawa, and listened to the line ring. After a few minutes, he reached a voicemail. Katagawa’s voice floated into the air, cheerful, “Can’t get to ya now, too busy living a dream you can probably only imagine! The Eridium Dust is  _ highly  _ recommended. Oh, and don’t call back unless you  _ really  _ mean it!”

After the click, Rhys complained at his Echo. “Hey, Katagawa. Miss you... Uh...progress has been slow, as usual…” Rhys began pouring out his frustration. “I had him, you know? I was  _ this  _ close. But when I scanned him, it turned out to just be a stupid body double."

Rhys took a breath before continuing. "Yeah I shoulda known I wouldn't get so lucky." He sighed. "Now I've gotta pay more attention in the future. There could be dozens or hundreds for all I know…. I just...I just wanna go home to you. I hate being a-alone." Rhys realized his voice had cracked and he cleared his throat. “Sorry, I ate a weird...food. Uh. I’m going to get some sleep now. I’ll try back tomorrow. Bye, Kat.” He hung up and slumped back on the bed, trying to imagine Katagawa’s scent in the blanket.

It was unsuccessful. And he lay there, brooding, until his brain finally gave in to its tiredness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments, we apperciate them!  
> On to chapter 3, hope you enjoy it!

Another day and still no reply from Katagawa.

Rhys sighed heavily and sat up in bed, scrubbing his face with his hands. He really should just get used to it. He was in this alone, Katagawa might continue ignoring him until he finished his mission. Phone calls were never high on his boyfriend’s priority list. That or...Katagawa had forgotten.

Too bad he was back to square one.

Well… there was no use dwelling on his shortcomings now. With another sigh, he shoved himself out of bed and began his day. 

After a long shower, Rhys felt marginally better. He’d had enough time to think about what he’d been doing clearly wrong, and figured it must be the fact he wasn’t being direct enough. Hacking higher ups wasn’t working. Attending parties and meetings wasn’t working either. Clearly, running into Handsome Jack wasn’t going to work, the man was elusive and who knew how many doubles he had.

So, what could he do?

Rhys left the apartment on autopilot, lost in thought as he walked. It wasn’t until he reached his work desk that the coffee he’d grabbed on his way kicked in, and he knew. He knew he had only one option left. He had been overthinking the entire situation.

Rhys was a hacker. An expert hacker at that. He’d wasted his time with measly managers instead of just going straight to the source.

Handsome Jack himself.

He’d considered this route before, but a fear of failing stayed his hand. Rhys was pretty good, but if he got caught… that would be a trip to the airlock, no doubt. But he was a professional. And all his safer alternatives had failed him. 

He was so tired of this. He just wanted to go home. The idea of spending even one more month here at Hyperion seemed even worse than the possibility of death, if he was being honest. Even Kat was losing faith in him. He could sense it. He knew he had to do this. There was no other option. 

Handsome Jack’s encryption couldn’t be _that_ strong, especially if he was being hacked from the inside.

Also being caught... _if_ it happened, that was a trip straight to the man himself, right? 

Cracking his fingers, Rhys collapsed into his work chair with determination deepening his brow and tilting the corners of his mouth. This time, he _would_ get somewhere.

First, Rhys needed to mask his computer. The last thing he needed was his boss looking in at what he was doing. Opening up a command prompt, he ran a code that would lock his computer to anyone looking in and set an alert in case someone tried. Next, he bypassed the security clearance he was given with ease. Honestly, he was a little disappointed there wasn’t more of a fight. But he was damned good at this.

After that, it was a matter of finding the right pathway in. That took most of the morning. He chased a lot of deadends and wrong accounts before booting up his Echo Eye for added processing speed. When he finally found the pathway, he could have cheered, but that was only half the battle. He still needed to find a way in.

Handsome Jack’s security was some of the most advanced he’d seen yet. Given the state of the rest of Hyperion, Rhys had to begrudgingly admit he was impressed. Jack was not messing around. Part of him wondered if the man had done it himself. He had heard rumours of Jack’s brilliance, though he suspected those were mostly started by Jack himself.

_Narcissistic bastard._

Rhys was starting to have fun. He really hadn’t expected it to be this hard. Every step forward seemed to be two steps backwards as if the code was rewriting itself in real time. As much as it was frustrating, he was enjoying the challenge. He was so into it, he almost didn’t notice the message that popped up at the bottom of his screen.

> [ **Redacted** ]: Havin fun?

Rhys froze the second he noticed it, eye widening. Had he triggered an alert? He’d done everything to try and mask his presence. How was he discovered?

> [ **Redacted** ]: C’mon, I’m bored. 
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: I know you’re there 

Rhys narrowed his eyes. Maybe it was just a coworker trying to chat? Rhys looked up to make sure no one was watching, but all that stared back were the walls of his lonely office. He inhaled deeply.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Who's this?
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: I should be asking you that 
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: how’d you get the username you are using?
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: says the one whose name is hidden
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: considering you’re the one trying to hack Handsome Jack, I think I’m the one asking questions here

So, he had been caught! _Shit shit shit._

Rhys bit his tongue to refrain from swearing out loud. He could feel his pulse speed up, adrenaline kicking in. His mind told him to run, but he couldn’t. Not yet. He had a mission to do. _Okay, Rhys, stay calm._ He didn’t yet know who had caught him, or what their motives were. They were in the same system to have found him, and smart enough to see through his shielding techniques. The odds of he and this random person being on at the same time were slim. Unless Jack had code bodyguards. Or it could be a bot, but Rhys’s gut told him something was...off here. And that if he was careful, he could exploit it.

Either way,he had to figure out what he was working with here before proceeding.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: what do you want?

The next message was short of baffling.

> [ **Redacted** ]: How. Did. You. Get. This. Username?

How was _that_ important to this mystery person?

> [ **Redacted** ]: honestly how much more can I spell it out for you?
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: I’m literally spelling it out hah!
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: I’ve always had it
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: That’s funny considering it belonged to my dead boyfriend

Rhys let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding and scowled, unable to process what he was reading. Was this a threat? Or just some...sick joke? His instincts were now running a completely different direction, telling him to end this. That this was not only creepy, but useless. If this were someone interested in protecting Jack, they would’ve said so, not dawdled on this stupidity. 

He was wasting time talking to this stranger, time he could be hacking past Jack’s firewalls, but if he ignored them, would they report him?

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Ha ha, very funny
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: I wasn’t laughing
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Look, I have things to do sooo
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Bye
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: Now hold the hell up, bonehead
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: You’ve got some real explainin to do
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: this a sick joke?
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: Cuz it aint funny and I will throttle you if you don’t say what ur doing

The threat left Rhys shaking, but he didn’t know what to do. Any hope for reasonability from this person went out the window. Besides, _they_ were asking _Rhys_? When they started this weirdness? What was happening?. He began typing, quickly.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Now look. 
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: I don’t really care what your stchik is or who you are… 
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: I just wanted to check the code here. It’s a good bit of inspiration for me. I’m starting to think _you’re_ not supposed to be here. Why else lay into me like this?
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: omg that’s friggin hilarious
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: god I’m in absolute fits, you should see it
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: Nah nah. We both know who’s lyin here.
> 
> [ **Redacted** ]: Way I see it, whoever the hell you think you are, your in trouble. I have the power to make sure you don’t see the light of another goddamned day. You’ve pissed me off. And you know Handsome Jack doesn’t like snoopers. 

Rhys sucked in a harsh breath. Fucking fuck. What was happening? So this person _did_ work for Jack?

Rhys could just ignore this. He didn’t really think this weird user was a serious threat to him. They still didn’t know who he was. With Rhys’s protections, they’d have had to hack him personally to find that out. He could whoosh away their messages and dig deeper like nothing had happened. But he was troubled. He didn’t know how legit the threats were. Ignoring it might cost his life, but if he caved easily… That would be worse.

Rhys took a deep breath, making a swift decision. He swigged his coffee, swiped his brow, and grinned. “Show time, _Redacted_.”

Rhys’s fingers flew over the keyboard. He flung up multiple firewalls, forcing the other user out of his chat, fortifying the walls and himself. His Echo Eye felt warm in its socket, heated with the strain Rhys demanded of it. Once he had finished his barrier, he sat back, folding his arms with a smirk.

“Take that, _Redacted_.”

Rhys was feeling pretty confident in his achievement. Finally, his dive into the system was back to just him and his smarts. He reached for his coffee--

A horrible pain lanced through his head, like a knife jammed into his eyes. He cried out. There was a sizzling sensation in his brain, like something _short-circuited_ somewhere in there, and his body spasmed. His Echo Eye went black. He doubled in his own chair, remembering he needed to be careful, he needed to keep his firewalls polished, because-

He _felt_ it, like a wave of polluted water seeping into his being. The Echo Eye crackled back to life. Warnings began popping up in his head and _fuck, oh fuck, oh shit-_ He hadn’t thought this was possible. He hadn’t thought his cybernetics could be targeted like this through a computer. Although, it made sense, given he was using them to help him in the system. His new hacking rival had snuck in. 

Rhys, through his pain, forced himself to move, to try and save his firewalls - and force out his assailant. He was too late. He watched them crumble with the most sickening ease. He’d never had a chance. The pain doubled and he went down, on the ground, writhing and howling. 

Getting killed through a computer? Yeah, that checked out with his absolute hideous luck. His biggest regret in that moment was having failed his boyfriend. He hoped Kat would remember him fondly.

The pain vanished.

His ears rang...but he wasn’t dead?

A horribly distorted, echoing voice filled his head. Rhys cringed. It hurt to listen too, made his teeth scream and his eyes water. **_“_** ** _Y̫͈̚͝o̝̞̟͑̓̕u̗͓̣͂͞ ̧̏h̖͈͇͓̏̓̾͆͢͞a̼͝v̛͉̲̩͂̒̎͟e̡͓̲̻͋̉̈́̊ ̞͙̞̓̌̉cyb̗̣̺̿̉͂͆̀͟͢ē͙̤͑r̛̲͂͜ṅ̬͎̔ḙ̍t̙̽ic̦͠s̳̭̹͓͛̈̀̒?̳̗͚̮̏͗̈̆͘͢ A̛̱̗͂̃͟r̡̞̲͑̋͡e̛͉ ̲̂y͎oȗ̹…͍̺̇̆?̓ͅ_** ** _”_** There was a long pause. **_“_** ** _W̙̙̌͘ẹ̪̀͆͢͡l̺̹͇̅͛̾l̜͊.̭̙͙̫̉̔̈ ̨̩͌̓S̠̪͎̘̄̄̕a̛̰y ̝̫̝̐͌͐s͚̜̯̀̔̋͒͟o̕ͅm̦̠͍͓̓̉́ė͔̙͚͊̊t̛̙̟͞h͍̜̊i̮͍͑́ng̗̲̓͡!̤̞̐̓̊ͅ_** ** _!”_**

“Fuck,” Rhys groaned, clutching his head. Somehow, his voice worked, but it was hoarse. “What do you _want_ from me?” He growled, still under the sway of the attack, he knew. It’d only lessened. His attacker was still there. There was a coppery taste in his mouth. He couldn’t even move. “ _What_ are you?”

**“** **R̢̛̲͐h̢̤͉̘̋͑̈́͠y̙̦̐̀͌͜s͇̩̑͝?̭̑** **?** ” 

Rhys blanched, even the pain not able to drown out his own utter shock. “Wha...who? How do you know my name?” He wanted to scream in frustration, but also mostly pain. It started building again.

The voice hissed. **“** **H̹̕ȇ͕r̦̗̕e̟̠͊͘’s ̘̋t̻͔̆̾he̡͐ ̖̇l̞̓̔͟i̮͈͊͗t̗͐͆͟t̘̲̽̚le̳̦̎͆ ̻͚̈́̽de̹̦̿̔å͖̣̓l̖̥͘.̢̧̃͒ ̹̓Y̜̙̎̕oụ̠̽̿ ẇ̮a̮̼͐̀ṅ̳͘͢ṱ͌ t̟̅o̟͗ ̮͙͋͐ĺ̘i̭̖͐̃ve̖̺͆͛?͖͐ ̺̎M̙̽ȩ̒eṱ͕̾̇ ́͟͟͝m̢̯̀̉e ͎̄t͖͇̾̇o̝̱̽͠ņ̎i̝͑g͚̹̏̉ht̢̋ ̣̃a͍̜̒͡t̜͗ ̫̕th̠͋͗͜e̗̻͊͋ ̝͒͞ͅHú͚b̂ͅ ơ͙̠̑ḟ͍̱͡ ͔͝He̼̐r̫͌̅͜oį͎́͐s͚̫̔͌m, ̜s̮͉̆̔ë̞́c̀ͅo̗ṋ̌̎͢d̟͠ e̡̅x͙̼͑́î͓̗͂t̥̆̓͢ â̩̤̊ẗ̢̧̛ ͙̪̆͒m͇i̜̦̓͞dni͞ͅg̻̉h̙́t̺̮͋͌.̡̾ ̜̈́Y̰̟̍͐oṷ̂̚͟ ̩w̭͉̿͞a̺͉͡nt̮̾ͅ ̦̌̍͢a̳̔nsw̙͆er̮̄s̻̋,̩̙̉̾ ͚͡tha̩͡t̝̜͆̀’s̙͠ how̧̄͗͜ ̀͜yo̜̥͌̀u’ll ̞̓g̞͑é̳̲͡t̨͖̂ ̝͐the̢̐m͎̆.̢̹̓͠ ̣͕̑͞A̤̚n͕̑d͂͢ ̲̜͐́if̥̉ ̩̾yo̜̻̓͛u̳̾͘͟ r͉̖͗͐e̖͠f̗̮̀͑ů̗ș͠e̲͠.̙̕.͖̄.͎̺̓͒** **”**

The presence dissipated, leaving Rhys dazed on the floor. 

He collected himself, sitting up and shivering. He felt very exhausted. Thank everything he was in an empty room for this. He doubted he’d be able to explain to his coworkers what’d just happened. He rubbed his head, trying to soothe the lingering dull headache in his temples.

He didn’t know what to do. Even if the other user _hadn’t_ gotten into his very cybernetics - holy fuck, what a fucking hacker - Rhys was still without a plan. Hacking wasn’t an option now. He’d fucked that up. More importantly, how did they _know_ him? The way they’d said his name... Maybe it was someone from this very department. Still, he didn’t quite believe that. Something else was going on here, and it made him even more uneasy than before. 

Sitting up, he leaned against his chair, chest heaving. He tried to calm his breathing. He wiped at the sweat on his brow.

There was a ding. A voicemail came into his inbox. From Kat. His Cybernetics were still on the fritz, but it’d gotten through.

In any other circumstance, Rhys would’ve lit up like a Mercenary Day gift tree. He was happy to see it, of course, but too worried about his mistake to fully feel that joy. He played it, hoping it might help the turmoil he was experiencing. At least Kat hadn’t forgotten about him, after all!

Kat’s exuberant tones filled the empty room. “Sounds like you’re getting there, Buddy! Don’t get discouraged! Won’t be long before you’ve taken out that brutish moron.” His tones became almost singsong. “~We’ll get cocktails and fuck all niiiight to _celebrate_ ...on the Zanaraaa... We’ll partaay~…” Rhys snorted. The man must be high. Katagawa seemed to sober a bit, though, at the end. His words were now very serious. “I know you won’t let me _down_ , Rhys.”

The call ended.

Rhys sucked in a breath, Katagawa’s voice echoing through his thoughts. _I know you won’t let me down, Rhys._ Rhys exhaled. He knew he had to go to this...midnight meeting. He had nothing else left.

He hoped this wouldn’t be the last time he ever heard his boyfriend’s voice.

Rhys shoved himself off the ground and quickly typed in a command that shut down everything he’d had open, erasing the evidence of what he’d been doing before hastily shutting down.

He needed to get out of there, needed to plan, prepare… anything other than sit here.

Bursting through the office door, he nearly ran his ‘boss’ over, but he ignored the shouts as he kept walking. His fake job was low on his priorities list right now, not when his life was possibly on the line.

Regardless, this was the first real lead he’d had.

He couldn’t fuck this up.

* * *

It was a quarter to midnight and Rhys had already arrived at the Hub. Any longer in the box he called an apartment and he might have worn a path in the floor from all his pacing. He was high on nervous energy and couldn’t help checking the hidden dagger he had strapped under his vest for the 6th time in the last 10 minutes. He also kept poking at the little, covered syringe of poison in his vest, just in case. He’d rather save that for Jack himself, but his own life came first.

_Breathe, Rhys_ **_._ **

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for just a moment to try and settle his nerves. It didn’t help much, with his thoughts racing and stomach churning itself into knots. In a few heartbeats, he heard footsteps. His eyes snapped open and trained in the direction the sound echoed from. 

The shape of a man could be seen heading straight for him. Rhys’s fingers itched for the knife under his vest, but he clenched his fists and fought against the urge to grab it.

_Patience, Rhys. You can’t fuck this up..._

Just when Rhys was considering his last chance to flee, the man finally stepped out of the shadows.

“You?!” Rhys exclaimed in an angry disbelieving realization. He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry, or both. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut as he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Rage flooded his veins.

Now it all made sense. 

The doppelganger from last night. 

That’s how the man knew his name, about his cybernetics. Though it was odd he’d remember so well. Rhys snorted, feeling his hopes crushed yet again. “Still pissed about the other night, then?” He wanted to kick something right about now.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, kiddo, but you better start explainin’ yourself,” the Handsome Jack look-alike snapped, stopping just out of reach as he looked Rhys up and down, eyes wild with barely contained fury. He looked like a completely different man, one that made Rhys shy back a few steps. “What sick joke is this? Who the hell are you? You look like… You _can’t_ be...” His hands were clenched into tight fists, knuckles pale.

Rhys gaped in confusion.

Abruptly, the anger faded from the double. There was an openness on his face, an uncharacteristic vulnerability, enough that it threw Rhys off balance. 

Something was wrong. 

Rhys took another step back, booting up his Echo eye and running a quick scan that chilled his blood.

> **Name** : _Handsome friggin’ Jack, baby_
> 
> **Occupation:** Your _Hero_
> 
> **Bio** : [[[ **Redacted** ]]]
> 
> **Side note: Don’t look too long, dumdum, your eyes might combust~**

“O-oh...Y-you’re...heheh, the _real_ H-Handsome Jack…”

Jack’s teeth bared at the sound of Rhys’s voice. “In the flesh, baby. _Now talk.”_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the comments and kudos! We're glad you're enjoying it and we love hearing everyone's predictions! 
> 
> On to chapter 4!

“O-oh...Y-you’re...heheh, the _real_ H-Handsome Jack…”

Jack’s teeth bared at the sound of Rhys’s voice. “In the flesh, baby. _Now talk.”_

The anger was back in Jack’s eyes and his voice dripped with venom. Rhys had no doubt he would be dead if looks could kill, but there was no room to back down now. This may be his one and only chance to finally complete his mission. And he doubted Jack would spare him, anyway. 

There was only one way he walked away tonight.

Rhys almost reached for his syringe, but decided that it would be best to keep that for a last resort.

Swallowing down the doubt in his own skills, Rhys lunged forward, ripping his dagger from his vest as he moved. He closed in on Jack and swung with all his might. 

His blade sailed straight through thin air. 

Jack was gone.

“What the fuck!” Rhys shouted, surprised at how fast Jack had moved.

An invisible hand knocked the blade out of his grip and sent it sliding out of reach. A second unseen hand wrapped around his throat, slamming him into the wall. It knocked the air from his lungs, and made stars dance before his eyes.

“Language,” Jack’s disembodied voice snapped. How did that _matter_ ?! Rhys thought wildly, disbelief growing. Jack flickered back into existence a second later, pinning Rhys’s squirming body against the wall with his own body, solid and unyielding. “Now friggin’ _talk_ before I get more impatient than I already am.”

Rhys went limp, returning the angry look tenfold. His eyes bored into Jack’s. “That was a dirty trick!”

“Says the one who just pulled a knife,” Jack snapped back.

They were so close, he could feel the man’s hot breath on his face, could see the bloodshot veins in Jack’s wild eyes, could feel the weight of the man pressing him against the wall. And Rhys did not like the excited shiver that rolled down his spine. He had no clue where it came from or why this felt so…

So…

_Familiar_. 

He didn’t like it. 

Rhys struck out, slamming his fist into Jack’s side, causing Jack to grunt.

“Frickin’ little shit!” Jack cursed. 

Rhys used the opportunity to his advantage, shoving Jack. Jack stumbled away, and Rhys was free. He dived for his knife. Jack was faster, tackling him down onto the ground before he could reach it. He yanked Rhys around by the lapels, slamming him onto his back, winding him yet again. “Oof.”

Rhy flailed and kicked and punched at Jack, trying to break free.

“You moronic...dumbass!” Jack shouted, heaving air and fending off Rhys’s attacks. Jack did not relent. He was a solid man, with a maddening amount of immovability. Rhys grew tired from spending all his energy in an attempt to get free. With desperation, he reached for his syringe. Jack grabbed his wrists and pushed them against the ground, cutting off Rhys’s only hopes of escape. Rhys went limp under Jack once more, gasping for air. He stared up at Jack, dread growing. 

“Let me _go_!” Rhys panted, voice as loud as he could get it.

“Not until you tell me what you want. Why come back now?” Jack hollered. “Revenge? Is that it? You want revenge, Rhysie?”

Rhys’s brain felt slow. He tried to process what Jack was saying. It didn’t add up. None of this did. Did Jack know him from Maliwan, somehow? He’d never met him in his life. Rhys would’ve remembered anyone as distinctive as this!

Jack just stared back at him, that open, almost-painful expression back on his face. “I...I thought you were dead! I know you died! I _saw_ it! _Rhys_.”

Was this a sick mind game? Some ill-timed mental break from Jack? Rhys hissed, “How the fuck-mmf-”

Jack kissed him. Like, actual, full-on mouth kiss. Everything in Rhys’s thoughts exploded into mist. His eyes fell shut to the taste of something sweet, warm, and wet. Nothing comprehensive came to him. His entire being responded, warmth and deja vu flooding him. It almost felt like they’d done this a hundred times before.

Rhys’s eyes flew open. _What?_

Jack pulled back, face blank. After a few seconds, he slowly smirked, in a way that seemed forced. “Yeah, thought that would calm you down, cupcake.”

“What. The. _Hell_?” Rhys asked, hoarse.

“Start. Talking. I won’t ask again, you little shit.”

Rhys saw no way out at this point. He was dead. Maybe he could stall, though. He needed time to think of anything that would save him. “I uh...I was just a bit nosy with the code--”

Jack’s hands tightened painfully. At this rate, there would be bruises. “Don’t. Frickin’. Lie. Princess.”

“Ow-Fine! Fine-fine!” Rhys yelped. Jack’s vice loosened marginally. Rhys sucked in a breath. “I wanted to...I was trying to get information! Okay! I didn’t uh… I don’t know what the hell is going on right now, but this _so_ wasn’t a part of the plan, okay?!”

Jack echoed, “information? S’that why you brought a knife?”

Rhys swallowed, mouth dry. “I brought it because I didn’t think whoever I was meeting….and it turned out to be you… I didn’t think they would be merciful.” Rhys hoped Jack believed him. He raised an eyebrow. “And uh...was I wrong?”

“That’s it?” Jack said, “That’s _all_ you have to say?”

“What else is there?”

“Don’t you frickin’ care at all?! What _happened_ to you!? You really can’t frickin look me in the eye and give me the truth? Or am I nothing to you now?”

Rhys didn’t know what to say. Words failed him.

Jack growled in his throat. “I’m gonna let you up, but any funny business, and you’ll wake up in a cell, got it? I know exactly how hard and long to squeeze that pretty little neck until you pass out, understood?”

A thrill shot through him, but Rhys nodded. Jack let go and stood. 

Rhys followed suit, rubbing his aching wrists, gazing at Jack. This was indeed the real Jack and honestly? He wasn’t sure he had needed the scanner to tell him so, if he’d just paid more attention. There was something much different between this man and the body double. No wonder Rhys had felt so underwhelmed before. Now that he was really looking at him, he could spot the differences. Jack was larger than he realized. There was something more authentic with the real Jack. He stood with an earned confidence and a fiery intelligence in his vivid eyes. His brow was decidedly heavier, neck thinner, and his body less of a triangle. He also didn’t have that overpowering cologne. Instead, Jack smelled like gunpowder, copper, and old coffee. 

Which was not as bad as Rhys thought it should be. “So uh...what now?”

Jack glared at him. “Fine, if that’s how you wanna play this bullshit? I can’t stop ya. I thought you’d be a little less of a dick about this, but I shouldn’t’ve expected that.” Jack stepped closer. “You’ve always been pretty selfish, cupcake, if I have to admit it.”

Rhys didn’t know why he felt weirdly guilty. He didn’t seem to be able to convince Jack of his ignorance. Why was Jack still confusing him with someone else, anyway? “I...I dunno what you want from me.” 

That wasn’t the right thing to say, apparently. Jack began pacing, moving in circles around him, raising Rhys’s hackles. After the second or third pass, Jack stopped behind him. A large hand cupped his throat, and Rhys shivered...Not fully from fear. Rhys could practically hear Jack grinding his teeth as Jack leaned closer. “I _will_ find out what’s going on here. I’m gonna give you an ultimatum, and I suggest you choose _wisely_ , baby.”

Rhys’s palms were damp, adrenaline rising with renewed vigor. But the fight was long gone. He didn’t resist. “Ah….what’s that?” Instead, he would’ve preferred to hide. Or lean more into the hot touch on his skin. He could feel Jack’s body heat seeping into him, and it pulled at him like a magnet.

_What_?

Jack exhaled. “You can either come work with me at the office, or you can take a one-way ticket to Pandora. Got it?”

Rhys’s breathing felt more difficult. What? _What_ ? What was this? _This_ was Jack’s ultimatum? Rhys turned his head to look at Jack. “I...the way i see it, the former is the better uh, option there.” Rhys felt outside of himself quite suddenly, watching Jack press closer to him, his own voice far away.

“Good boy,” Jack said, patronizingly sweet. “Show up tomorrow at my office, and don’t try to flee, ‘cause I _will_ know. Your employee ID is no longer valid, so you won’t be able to do much until then.” Jack pecked his temple, leaving Rhys extra bewildered. As if needing one last vindictive pleasure, Jack jabbed his Echo port with his thumb.

Rhys whimpered.

“ _Huh_.” Jack let go. 

Jack was walking away by the time Rhys stopped separating himself from the situation. He turned and watched Jack until the man was long gone. “What just happened?” He asked the empty hallway. He didn’t know what this was. Was this...the beginning of some sick torture? Was Jack expecting some sexual favors in return for his life? Or was it really...a job in exchange for first hacking and then trying to _kill_ him?

And Jack pulling that weird familiarity bullshit...

Rhys had never felt so off balance in his entire life. He retrieved his knife, staring at its surface for longer than necessary. He had failed tonight. He had one task, and Jack had easily overpowered him. Worse, he’d let Jack walk away! 

Still, all wasn’t lost. 

This was actually an opportunity. An opportunity to get close enough to strike at the man. Maybe he _should_ play the honeypot angle. A part of him was way less opposed to it, weirdly enough. He thought of Katagawa briefly, but realized his boyfriend would approve of such methods. This way he might even get more information.

He tucked away his blade and smiled. Yes. He’d be home soon.

* * *

By the time Rhys returned to the apartment, his mind was spinning again. Jack seemed to know him, but Rhys was positive he had never met Jack before… right? Could it be possible that Rhys had had _people_ \- people he cared about, like friends and...a lover? It hurt to even consider. That they’d been in his life, and he would just stumble into them _now_? That Jack could be one of them? The man he just happened to be out to kill?

_No._

Katagawa had looked and found no one from Rhys’s life. And with his exec status, he could reach far and wide, and it wouldn’t have been a secret with someone like Handsome Jack. Katagawa had no reason to lie; Rhys believed him. It was why Rhys had stayed at Maliwan. Why leave when there was nowhere to go? No one who wanted him? Even if Katagawa had found someone, he wouldn’t have really wanted to leave, he thought. Katagawa had been good to him, and loved him dearly. Besides, as much of an asshole as Jack seemed, Rhys scoffed at the idea they were... _something_. Seriously!

So, why did Jack insist he knew him?

With a heavy sigh, he began getting ready for sleep, stripping down to his underwear before collapsing onto the hard surface of the so-called bed. He knew he should get some rest, didn’t even know when he had to be up yet, but he was sure Jack would let him know. 

And if he was going to spend the day with Jack, he really needed that rest, but…

He couldn’t sleep.

Rhys couldn’t stop his mind from wandering, thoughts racing as he tried to reason over what the fuck had happened earlier tonight. He supposed he could just ask Katagawa. If Jack had known him, surely Katagawa would have an inkling of how or why. It was late, but he knew his boyfriend would be up. He just hoped he answered this time. 

Rhys booted up his Echo Eye and skimmed through the handful of contacts he had until he found Katagawa’s number. A second later, the sound of ringing filled his own head. Much to his relief, his boyfriend picked up on the second ring.

“Rhys!” Katagawa greeted. “Buddy, do you have good news for me? Or are you just calling for some _fun_?”

Rhys smiled, relaxing back onto the bed. It had been so long since they’d actually been able to _talk_. He couldn’t help the warmth of relief that washed over him. “I have some good news, but I wanted to ask you something.”

“Can’t it wait?” Katagawa whined. “I’ve missed that _gorgeous_ ass. C’mon, let’s have some fun.”

Rhys laughed, warmth spreading through him. He missed the attention so much. Maybe this was a better idea, to just stop thinking for a while - especially about a certain masked asshole. He certainly could use the stress relief, even if it meant he wasn’t going to get as much sleep.

“C’mon Rhys, tell me what you’re wearing,” Katagawa purred.

Arousal shot through Rhys. “Nothing but those underwear you love.”

“The orange and green Maliwan ones?” Katagawa asked, his voice piping up in interest. “They look so _good_ on you.”

Rhys smirked, sliding his hand down over his stomach to tease at his waistband. He could already feel his cock stirring. Yes, this was a much better use of his time. He missed Kat so much. “Can you picture me in them, Kat?”

“Fuck yes, I miss that tight ass,” Katagawa breathed. 

“I miss your dick,” Rhys replied, breath catching in his throat as he squeezed his swelling cock through the thin material. He could feel arousal coiling in his gut, and he shivered as he palmed himself. “And _your_ ass, too,” he added softly, mind flicking to the _other_ sorts of nights they’ve had.

“Are you touching yourself, Rhys?”

“Yes…”

He heard Katagawa groan, and the sound made his own cock twitch in interest. Was Katagawa already this gone for him? He might’ve chuckled if he wasn’t also clouded with desire and yearning. He quickly shoved his underwear down just enough to free his shaft and lazily began stroking himself with his flesh hand with a low moan.

Katagawa demanded, breathless, “tell me how bad you want my cock right now.” 

Rhys let his eyes fall shut as he tried to picture Katagawa beside him. He groaned, letting his hand speed up. “I need you so bad. I feel so empty, Kat. I wish you were here.”

“Use your fingers, Rhys. I want to hear you.”

“They don’t fill me like you do,” Rhys whined, thrusting up into his hand. He had a toy that he’d bought when really bored one night (Hyperion, unfortunately), but right then he didn’t want to move, didn’t want to bother with the slow task of working himself open. Just wanted to surrender to the pleasure and enjoy the time with his boyfriend. “Kat,” he groaned. “Fuck, I’m so empty.”

“I would fix that in a heartbeat if I couulld ahh-” Katagawa moaned again in response. “Bet you think about me _every_ night too, don’t you, Rhys?”

“Yes,” Rhys breathed. He was on fire now, hand pumping faster as he chased the pleasure. His cybernetic fingers danced up his torso, enjoying the warming function as he teased a nipple and shuddered under the jolt of arousal that raced down his spine.

“Do you lie awake at night pleasuring yourself to thoughts of me?” Katagawa continued.

“Yes,” Rhys replied again, his breath catching as his cybernetic fingers moved higher, curling around his throat. His mind drifted to earlier, to the warmth of someone else’s much larger hand on his throat, pinning him to the wall. He whimpered as a wave of intense pleasure rolled through his body, cock throbbing in his hand.

“F-fuck,” he gasped, eyes snapping open the second he realized he was thinking about Jack. Guilt instantly gnawed at him and he released his neck, forcing his attention back onto the breathy sounds coming from Katagawa. “ _Talk_ to me, Kat,” Rhys whined, trying to convince himself it was guilt that had caused his pleasure to wane and not his refusal to think of Jack. “What do you want to do to me?”

“I want to bury my dick in that perfect ass,” Katagawa groaned out, swearing under his breath. “I want… I want-- Oh fuck, that’s it, yes, yes, _just_ like that, Pleb. Actually being useful!”

Rhys froze, hand stilling on his dick. He swallowed thickly, feeling like ice water had been thrown over him. A bad feeling nipped at him. He...realised Katagawa...wasn’t talking to _him_ . _Was Kat… was he…?_ “K-Kat?”

“Yes, Rhys?” Katagawa groaned, “keep talking. Please!” seemingly forgotten that _he_ was supposed to be the one talking. Not that it mattered when...

“Are you…” Rhys paused. He really didn’t want to ask. Didn’t want to know. He could just close his eyes, pretend he didn’t hear it. He needed this. Needed the time with his boyfriend, but jealousy stirred inside of him and it quickly turned to hurt. How could Katagawa be so cruel as to be with someone _else_ while on the phone with him?!

Rhys swallowed the knot in his throat. “Are you with someone right _now_?”

Katagawa didn’t miss a beat. “Rhys, buddy, baby, sweetheart, you _know_ I can’t use my wrist. I can’t risk hurting my sword arm. C’mon. Keep talking to me, baby. I’m so close.”

“No,” Rhys said, suddenly disinterested. His cock had gone limp, and his anger bubbled with sour resentment. He knew he shouldn’t be this upset. He knew Katagawa had others, but he shouldn’t have brought them into their relationship. “Forget it. I have to get up early,” he muttered.

“Rhys--”

He hung up.

Agitated, Rhys tucked his soft cock away, unsatisfied, and rolled onto his side to glare at the wall as he wished himself to sleep. Part of him thought he deserved it. That’s what he got for thinking about Jack while having phone sex with his boyfriend. But the other part of him was upset. Katagawa wasn’t supposed to bring other people into their relationship. They’d talked about this, well before Rhys had ever even came to Helios. He knew the man had needs, but Rhy had made it abundantly clear he was only okay with it if Katagawa didn’t bring them around him. Or share any details of them.

It had been so long since the last time they had spoken. Was it his fault he wanted some alone time with his boyfriend?

The ringing of an incoming call filled Rhys’ ears and he didn’t even need to look to know it was Katagawa. He scowled as the man’s name appeared in his vision and he quickly chose ‘ignore’.

Rhys curled himself into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest as he tried to focus on anything else. He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, didn’t want to know. There was a heaviness in his chest, and it wouldn’t leave.

Just as he started to drift off, another notification popped up in his Echo Eye. He had every intention of ignoring it--especially if it was Katagawa again--but just as he was about to close it, he saw who it was from. 

Handsome fucking Jack, who else?

> [ **Handsome Jack** ]: you start at 7. Meet at the exec elevator and don’t be late!

At least he was no longer “Redacted”. Either way, Rhys groaned in annoyance. It was already nearly 5 AM. He was so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a comment to let us know what you liked! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the comments! We are so happy you are enjoying this fic! It's been a lot of fun to write :D

Rhys arrived at the executives’ elevator a whole hour early, nursing two cups of coffee. He groaned and thunked his head back against the wall, feeling the cool steel. The bright light burned into his brain, so he closed his eyes. He cursed his entire existence. Why’d he have to get so moody all the time? This trip was stressful, but it was unbecoming. He should probably apologize to Katagawa later. Right now he just wanted to stop thinking, as impossible as it was.

_ Just focus on the job, Rhys. _

“ _ Someone’s _ eager,” came an almost-pleased-but suspicious voice.

“More like I wanna get this over with,” Rhys groaned, blinking open his eyes and landing them on Jack.

“Jesus, you look like crap.”

“Yeah, well, it’s kinda hard to sleep with death threats hanging over your head.” He almost accidentally added,  _ and your boyfriend fucking other people while on the phone with you. _

“You think you’re the only one who had trouble? My...whatever you are, came back from the dead pretending he doesn’t know me. Come on, princess.” 

Rhys wanted to yell,  _ but I don’t know you!  _

_ Do I? _

Again, the only logical response was: very unlikely.

Scowling at Jack’s broad back, Rhys followed him onto the elevator. Jack pressed the button. _ “User authorized, _ ” came a warm voice from the elevator, _ “Handsome Jack! Hello sexy! ...and one pre-approved guest! Enjoy your visit, you lucky star!” _ Rhys rolled his eyes, hoping Jack saw.

Jack didn’t comment if he did.

Rhys hadn’t really expected getting to visit the executive floors. He sucked down more coffee as the elevator rose, knowing he would need it. Within seconds, he was stepping out onto a well-polished floor. This place was enough to distract him from his sour mood for a minute. He gaped around at the tall, gold walls, the gentle bubbling fountains, purple, giant-leafed plants he’d never seen before in the unoccupied spaces. 

There was a secretary tapping on a computer nearby. Jack continued on without acknowledging them, stepping over a cleaner bot on the way. They went down a long, enormous hallway. Rhys’s awe tinted to worry as they moved. He felt more and more put out. He didn’t know if he was even going to survive...but surely if Jack meant to kill him, he would’ve done it already.

They walked into Jack’s office which was... _ vain _ , to say the least. It had that same, well-polished floor and similar decor. Differently, were the fountains. They were extravagant, creating a pleasant bubbling sound, like a creek. They were so large, Jack almost had a moat around his dais and desk, like the king of a fortress, with a bridge over the shallow water. His desk was huge, its chair gold,high-backed and plush. There was even a small break area to the side, privatized by those purple plants, and a false fireplace.

“Your office is ridiculous,” Rhys insulted moodily. Rhys wasn’t a stranger to fancy things, given Katagawa’s extravagant - if less  _ gold  _ \- taste, but he was annoyed by Jack. Rhys missed Katagawa’s safe and cozy penthouse more than ever.

Jack laughed. “I know you love it.”

Rhys followed Jack across the fountain-moat to the desk.

Jack went behind it, turning to look at Rhys without sitting down, staring right into his eyes. “Do you have any idea why I revoked your employee ID?”

_ Because you’re an asshole?  _

Rhys shrugged.

Jack went on, “because you’re gonna be working directly for me, from now on.”

_ What?  _ Rhys stared up from where he’d been tipping both coffees towards his mouth together. He lowered them. “I am?”

“Yeah. You are.”

Did Jack regularly promote employees who’d attacked him? Or did this have to do with his insistence on knowing him? Or was this work actually torture? That was what worried him. It felt like there was some catch he was obviously missing, stumbling blindly into a trap… Still, there was something almost... _ routine _ about this. 

“Why?” Rhys asked.

Jack said, “because I ain’t letting you outta my sight, buttercup. Not again… At least, not until I know what the hell is up, because my gut is saying something’s frickin’ wrong..” He cleared his throat and looked stern. Well, more stern. “You won’t be allowed off Helios, either... Unless you wish to cut the crap and fess up what’s going on.”

Rhys sighed. Maybe Jack was just crazy. “I  _ don’t  _ know you, okay!? Why are you so weird about this? I’m sorry that I hacked you, alright? I just want to get on with my life already…” Jack had no idea how true that last sentence was. Only, Jack’s life was standing between him and doing so.

“Yeah, well,” Jack’s voice was sneering, “me too. But we can’t do that if you insist on being a little shit.”

There was an intense glaring match for a few moments, before Rhys slumped. He was too tired for this. His coffee hadn’t even properly kicked in yet. “Fine, oh  _ Handsome One _ . What exactly am I going to be doing for you?” 

Jack grinned, vicious and mean. Rhys got a little nervous. “My schedule. I know how much you hate that.”

“I do?” Rhys blurted. That didn’t sound  _ that  _ bad. Annoying, but better than he’d feared.

“Don’t try to play games, baby.”

“Is that all? Or am I supposed to wipe your ass, too?”

“I’ll consider it. Oh, and I was also thinkin’ about making you fetch coffee, but you’d prolly just poison it.”

_ He’s not wrong. _

“Otherwise, you just do whatever I say.”

“Is this necessary?” 

“Oh it’s necessary, baby…” Jack propped one hip on the desk, grabbed a painfully-large file there, and proffered it to rhys. He grinned again. “Also, here’s some paperwork on your orientation to get you back into the system properly. I kinda wiped you out of there last time in a...fit of anger~!” He said it jovially, as if it had been a pleasure..or at least something unimportant. “I imagine it’ll take most of today. Have fun, baby.”

Somehow, Rhys was in a passive aggressive match with the man he was supposed to assassinate. Great. His mood got more sour. 

Even though he’d wanted access to Handsome Jack… He couldn’t be too eager. He couldn’t begin to imagine the headache of trying to figure out the best way to strike at Jack, yet. There was probably some kind of weapon-detector on this floor, so sneaking in a gun wasn’t possible. Maybe his poison? He’d have to figure it out.

Either way, he would have to be painstakingly careful if he wanted to survive. He doubted Jack’s mercy would extend  _ that  _ far. 

Honestly? He just wanted to go back to his apartment and try sleeping again. 

Rhys sighed and took the file after balancing his coffees in one hand. “Your wish is my desire,” he said, voice dripping sarcasm. Oh, he could do Jack’s schedule. He’d do the hell out of it. Figure out which events were Jack’s least favorite and plan the hell out of those!

Jack snickered.

Rhys turned away from Jack and made a move to sit on the steps. He didn’t get too far before Jack had to add his commentary. “Uh, what are ya doing there, dum dum?” 

He really believed this man loved the sound of his own voice far too much. “Getting started on this shit,” Rhys replied. “I’m sorry, is my sitting here ruining your aesthetic?” He gestured at the steps with a wave of the file.

Jack’s eyes flew towards the ceiling. “Cute. Your desk is over there, genius.” He jabbed his thumb to the left, voice condescending like Rhys was supposed to have known that. Rhys followed the direction with his eyes.

In the far corner, a small neglected desk sat. He hadn’t noticed on his first inspection of the room. It got swallowed up by the extravagance of the whole office. It sat facing Jack’s desk with the large window to space right beside it. Paperwork and discarded Echo devices littered the surface, barely leaving space for a computer. Rhys wondered when the last time Jack had touched it was.

“Oh…” Rhys mumbled, embarrassed at the oversight. He felt his cheeks heat up, much to his dismay.

Pushing himself back up off the floor and avoiding Jack’s gaze, he made his way over to the neglected desk and pushed some papers aside to make room for his coffees. He was going to need about twenty more before the day was through. With a heavy sigh, Rhys collapsed into the chair and got to work reading over the “orientation” file. Honestly, it was probably just HR’s way of saying ‘if you fuck up, you’re spaced! Also, Jack is awesome!’

Within half an hour, Rhys found himself staring off into space,  _ literally. _ The view from Jack’s office was quite breathtaking, he would give the man credit for that. He could even see Pandora, it’s surface cracked and atmosphere glowing. And he was struck by that odd feeling again, couldn’t shake it, as if he’d done this before… He knew he hadn’t.

And yet… 

Maybe he was just reminiscing about the view from the Zanara.

“I’m not paying ya to stargaze, princess,” Jack voice interrupted Rhys’s thoughts.

Rhys glared and looked over at Jack. The man was relaxing back in his chair, feet kicked up onto the desk like he had no intention of getting any work done. Well, aside from the Echo device currently in his hand. Rhys couldn’t help but wonder how long Jack had been staring at him.

“Are you watching me?” Rhys questioned.

“Told ya, I wasn’t lettin’ ya out of my sight,” Jack replied nonchalantly. “Now get back to work.”

“ _ Dick _ ,” Rhys huffed under his breath. He looked back down at the files in front of him, pointedly trying to ignore the fact he could still feel Jack’s eyes boring into him.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

“That’s what I thought.”

Rhys rolled his eyes. Jack  _ definitely _ loved the sound of his own voice and Rhys had to resist grinding his teeth in annoyance. And of course he’d have to have the last word like...like a child!

Rhys stifled his irritation and tried to get back to work.

He fell back into reading through the monotonous pages. Most of it was just stroking Jack’s ego. And, not for the first time, he found himself wondering how anyone put up with this annoying shitshow of self-importance. Hyperion swooned for Handsome Jack like he was a god. Rhys had seen first hand how dedicated people were to the Hyperion brand. And yet, the real Jack was a jerkbag who liked tormenting people - like Rhys - for no good reason other than his own amusement.

Maybe that was what made Jack act like he knew Rhys. Maybe he was trying to pull some kind of prank. Rhys had heard of people who would pretend something was one way, and they would insist and insist until everyone else was tricked into thinking that way. Well, he wasn’t going to fall for it.

> “ _If you are reading this, then you are one of the lucky few, chosen to work with Handsome Jack himself! Congratulations!_ ” 

He had to admit though, it was awfully similar to Katagawa’s hiring rules for the Zanara. He’d once seen a six-hundred part orientation file-

Rhys flinched at the thought of his boyfriend, heart already feeling heavy once more. It shouldn’t have shocked him that Kat hadn’t tried reaching out to him again… But, still… maybe he _ had been _ overreacting. Rhys had always known that Kat had a mind of his own, and it was usually driven to fulfill himself.

Rhys  _ should _ have been okay with that.

But it still hurt…

_ No, you have a job to do. Snap out of it, Rhys! _

Scowling to himself, Rhys shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and went back to the task at hand, glaring at the paper before him. He’d figure out how to talk it out later with Kat...maybe he would even apologize for being so pissed. Surely they could work it out. Rhys was just stressed from the mission. He knew once he was home, Kat would be way more focused on him, anyway. Not...the others.

Though try as he might, Rhys was having the worst luck concentrating.

His brain was trying to shut down.

Rhys tried to fight his heavy eyelids, but his caffeine supply had long since run out and mostly worn off. He found himself slouching heavily onto his flesh arm, the words on the page before him a blur. He kept rereading the same sentence over and over until- He jolted, noting drool at the corner of his mouth. He wiped it. Had he dozed off? He once again made to read...and his eyes slipped shut.

_ Just for a minute. _

He was jostled. Rhys became aware of warm arms lifting him up. How long had he been out? He didn’t care and found himself curling closer against a strong chest, his head falling onto their shoulder. He was far too tired to open his eyes. Far more content to enjoy the closeness than he should have been to fully wake up.

For a moment, he thought he was home, back at Maliwan. But there was something...not quite matching that thought. He didn’t care.

Rhys drifted back off to sleep.

When he woke up, Rhys’s head felt thick, eyelids crusty. He peeled them open and winced. His eyeballs stung until he rubbed at them. He grunted and stretched against the remarkably soft surface. 

He jolted awake. 

His bed wasn’t this soft! 

He looked around at the sight of plants surrounding the couch he lay on. There was a fake fireplace and….

Oh.

Rhys was in Handsome Jack’s break area. He sat up, knocking the blanket he just now noticed off. His shoes were on the rug nearby. His tie had been loosened around his neck. He touched it, heat rising in his cheeks. Shit. How did…? 

Rhys peered past the nearby plant to see Jack fiddling with that same Echo device. 

_ Jack? _

Jack had brought him over here and….  _ Why _ ? He was an asshole, through and through. There was no reason for him to not have woken Rhys up in a very cruel way, like...with a clown laugh alarm or something. Rhys sighed and slumped back against the softness. A part of him kind of wanted to fall back to sleep, sleep through the rest of his shift. It seemed Jack wasn’t going to bother him. The other part of him knew he had to finish that file.

Rhys forced himself off the couch, slipping his shoes back on and tightening his tie. He glanced at Jack, who still seemed occupied. He had a million questions for why Jack had done this, but in the end, he didn’t feel like asking. Maybe he wasn’t brave enough. He just returned quietly to his desk and got back to work.

A few more hours passed before Rhys finally got through the file. He sighed with relief, thumbing back through some pages to make sure he hadn’t missed any of the boxes that needed filled. He glanced at the clock, realizing he had no idea when Jack was letting him off work. With a mental shrug, he brought the file back to Jack’s desk, sitting it down none-too-gently. “Your orientation file, your highness.”

“Ohh,  _ your highness _ , I like that,” Jack said with a laugh.

“Can I go home? It’s not that I don’t enjoy hanging out here it's just….Well, I don’t.”

“You’ve got one more hour, princess. I suggest you get acquainted with my schedule. I expect you to do some reading up on the sort of things you’ll be scheduling, at least. Don’t need you setting up shit that’s unimportant. I think the uh...secretary, can help, if needed.”

Rhys sighed, loudly. “Of course. There’s absolutely nothing in this galaxy I’d rather be doing.” He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion rearing again. His nap hadn’t been long enough.

Jack sneered a bit. “Jeesus, Cupcake, I hope this isn’t a regular attitude for you now. I don’t think I can handle you this bitchy twenty-four-seven.” 

“Yeah, well,” Rhys snapped, “ _ you try going three months and counting without getting laid, _ then talk to me about bitchiness!” He realized what he said. “I uh-” He flushed furiously. “I mean, uh-”

Jack was laughing, chest and shoulders shaking. “O-oh- oh  _ man _ ! That’s just frickin’ great!” He mock-wiped a tear away. He inhaled a deep breath, sobering and clearing his throat. His expression changed with whiplash speed, to something darker. “You  _ know _ , if it’s that big of a hindrance, I can certainly  _ help  _ with it.” His voice had dropped to a deep purr.

Rhys’s knees wobbled. The flush intensified. “Oh!” he squawked, so eloquently. And then the words actually computed. For real. For real-real. “I uh…” Rhys fidgeted his hands. Holy fuck, holy fuck, holy fuck. It felt like his brain was being pulled in two directions - guilt and want. Why was his body so stupid! He’d hated that body double, so why couldn’t he hate the real deal!? “I’m with someone.” At least thinking of Kat - and however mad he was at him right now notwithstanding - made him snap out of his dumb vacillating.

“And you haven’t been laid in three months?” Jack asked, flabbergasted. 

Rhys hadn’t realized how that’d sounded. He gritted his teeth. “No- that’s  _ not  _ what I-”

Jack cackled. “Oh my god, your partner sucks! Like, take my advice and get a new one. Like me. I wouldn’t leave anyone hanging for friggin’ days, let alone months.”

What? WHAT? 

Fucking was one thing, but the implication of Jack being a potential new “partner”...? Was...Jack asking him out? Maybe Rhys was reading too much into it. 

Jack did seem to feel some kind of way about...whatever he thought Rhys was to him.

Again, maybe this was all a prank.

Rhys didn’t even know what to say as his brain screamed like a demon in hell. Fucking shit- “I...no…” Rhys hissed. “That’s not- He’s... _ away _ ! Indefinitely! And I don’t cheat!” Nope. Not him. Definitely not. 

“ _ Uh-huh _ . You could’ve just said no, princess, sheesh. I won’t force it. I ain’t that frickin’ shitty.”

Jack...didn’t believe him! “But it’s true!” Rhys yelled more loudly than he meant to. Something clicked. “Oh my god is that why you put me on the stupid couch!? ‘cause you wanted to get into my pants!? And you thought you could by being nice?!”

Jack stared at him and grimaced. “Hell, cupcake, I wasn’t kidding when I said I couldn’t handle you  _ this  _ bitchy all the time. If I let you go early, will you be less shitty for at least the rest of the week?”

Rhys realized he now had a sort of escape opportunity. Time to get away and clear his head of the recent hyperion propaganda...and of course, of Jack. “Oh, count on it! Just no more come ons!”

“Then get the frig outta here. I’ll send your schedule to you later.”

* * *

_ Rhys stared down into the vast expanse of outer space outside the giant, crystal-clear office windows. It was gorgeous, with its stars and galaxies. Warm breath fanned across the back of his neck, large arms wrapped around his chest from behind, a steady press of heated bodies between them. Rhys stared at that planet that was Pandora. He felt weightless on endorphins and the bottomless expanse before him.  _

_ His mouth opened into a wordless whine.  _

_ A hand cupped around his throat, and a voice as sweet and heavy as honey fell over his ears. “You look so delicious like this pumpkin, I could swallow you right up.” _

Rhys jerked awake. There were no large windows, no Jack’s office, and most importantly and relievingly, no Jack. He exhaled, gazing at the ceiling of his apartment on Helios.

_ What am I going to do now? _

He pushed the blankets away, noting his cock was heavy and leaking in his boxers. He dropped back with a frustrated groan. He didn’t want to jerk off, not to thoughts of Kat...and definitely not to Jack. Still...he could do with some stress relief. And it would help him fall back to sleep and not...dream such dreams. Maybe just maybe, he could do it thoughtlessly, pull up some generic porn on the Echonet, enough to give him the edge he needed to reach orgasm. 

He went into his Echo menu, starting to type in something to the search bar when an incoming call distracted him. He sighed, noting it was from Katagawa. Rhys had been pretty angry before, but he couldn’t just forever ignore his boyfriend, even if his pride sort of wanted to.

After a mini-debate with himself, his longing for peace won out. 

He answered. “Kat-”

His Echo Eye screen was flooded with a video call. It was quite in-his-face. Or rather, in-his-head, given his cybernetics. Like built-in VR. He gaped, a surprised sound leaving his throat at what lay before him.

Katagawa stretched across his large bed with its teal and orange Maliwan sheets. He was naked, legs parted wide. A careful, artistic knotting of ropes spread across his lithe, gorgeous body, keeping him in place. His hair was loose, but glittery, and Rhys knew of the Maliwan hair product that made it that way. Katagawa had on makeup, the kind with different colors that softened the sharp angles of his face and complemented his tattooed body. His eyes had wings, and a red shadow on the lower lid. An attractive blush dusted his cheeks. The room lighting itself was gentle.

He smirked at the camera, neither shy nor reserved. “ _ Rhys _ ! My favorite guy in the whole galaxy!” 

Rhys swallowed, unable to speak, his eyes on Katagawa’s cock resting on his belly. It was full and begging for attention. He forced his mouth to move. “I- uh, Katagawa?” Rhys squeaked. “What are-? Is this-?”

Was this all for him?

“I just wanted to apologize, Rhys.” He still sounded so confident, even now. “I hurt you, and it was not my intention.”

Rhys could barely speak, reminded of the few times Kat had done  _ this  _ when Rhys had still been home. And that meant- that meant- “Katagawa-” he breathed, biting his lip. “I-I-” His cock just felt harder, now. His heart was pounding, thoughts shattering under an intense wave of  _ need _ . “Kat,  _ oh my god _ !”

Kat's smirk grew. “I made a mistake, and I own that, Rhys. And you’ll get to see how sorry I am tonight.” 

As he struggled to catch up, Rhys realized that Katagawa’s hole was slick with lube. He choked on a whine. 

He shouldn’t have been so affected when the pink pleasure sphere floated lazily into view. It glowed with green lights.The sphere had a mounted toy, a ridiculously large cock. Rhys’s own want only grew, knowing what was going to happen. 

“You don’t have to say anything Rhys,” Katagawa murmured. Sounded like it was right in his ear. He could just picture himself laying over Katagawa, chin on his shoulder as Katagawa encouraged him. “You can just give me your pretty little noises.”

“Oh shit, Katagawa,” Rhys whimpered, already on his knees on the bed. “I wish I was there, I wish I was there, god I wish-”

“I know.

“Now, Rhys, be a good boy and give it to me.”

The sphere’s mounted toy pushed against Katagawa’s entrance, giving a slow, shallow thrust.

Rhys groaned at the image, already shoving down his boxers and grabbing his desperate, twitching cock. He watched his boyfriend taking the toy without even flinching. Katagawa moaned wantonly, dropping his head back as it sank into his body in a smooth slide. His face was pure blissed-out pleasure. 

Even Rhys wasn’t as gluttonous of a bottom as Katagawa could be. Kat could really give it to him, but when Katagawa wanted to take, he took it  _ all _ . Rhys had worn cocksleeves for this man. 

Katagawa looked so breathtakingly beautiful, and it was one of the few times Rhys absolutely wanted to be the one giving. He wanted to line up with Katagawa’s entrance and fuck him as enthusiastically as he could, listen to his breathless moans fall over his ears. Katagawa got so needy when he bottomed; he would whine for more and more and it wouldn’t be enough, still-

“More!” Kat groaned, right on cue.

His hands would claw down Rhys’s back, leaving angry red lines.

“Kat- I - I want to be the one who-” Rhys grunted as he fucked his fist harder, wishing he’d thought to bring his stroker. Oh well, he made due. “Katagawa!”

“Yes, Rhys, more, please!”

Rhys clenched the sheets with his cybernetic hand, toes curling as he chased after release. He gasped, feeling the pressure building in his gut. His cock throbbed in his hand, leaking so much he could feel the precum coating his fingers. “Oh f-fuck Kat-Katagawa.” 

“More, more, more,” Katagawa moaned, arching and writhing on the bed, gasping Rhys’s name. He squirmed back against the toy, rocking his hips, and the sphere picked up the pace accordingly. Katagawa’s face was lit up with pure gratification. Rhys desperately wanted to be the one causing that, desperately wanted to touch and feel and drive into his greedy body.

Rhys cursed. “C-close,” he breathed out, feeling the pressure build, his balls tightening. He’d been wound up so tight, there was no way he would last long even if he had wanted to. “Ka-Katagawa, I’m gonna…”

“Cum for me, Rhys, fill me, please!” Katagawa whined. Rhys just remembered that those spheres could in fact ejaculate and- “O-oh, Rhys!” Katagawa shouted as he came, cum splattering up over his stomach and Rhys wasn’t far behind as the sphere kept fucking into him brutally.

With a cry of Katagawa’s name, Rhys slipped over the edge, pleasure flooding through him as he spilled over his hand and onto the sheets below. His body trembled with the pleasure, eyes falling shut as he rode through it. “Fuck,” he breathed out, hips stilling as he collapsed, boneless, onto his back, narrowly avoiding the mess he’d made. His chest heaved from the exertion. _ Fuck _ . He  _ had  _ needed that in more ways than one. He felt so good.

“Mm,” Katagawa replied. The sphere was gone from view and he lay, sprawled out on the bed. He must've had a release for the ropes too, as they'd been loosened. “Am I forgiven, Rhys?” Katagawa asked, voice teasing, but also tired. There was a lazy smirk on his face, eyes half-lidded. He looked as sleepy as Rhys felt.

“Yes,” Rhys replied, a smile pulling at his lips. He kicked his underwear off the rest of the way, using them to clean up as best he could. They were Hyperion, anyway(couldn’t have anyone getting suspicious if they ever saw his clothes). The rest he would deal with in the morning. Now, he just wanted to sleep, feeling drained, but in a good way.

“Get some sleep,” Katagawa said, probably noticing this. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Mhm.” Rhys replied, already halfway there. “Miss you, Kat… Goodnight,” he muttered just before Katagawa ended the call.

Rhys snuggled into his blankets, falling asleep immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment or a kudo and let us know if you enjoyed it!  
> More soon to come!
> 
> You can find us on twitter!  
> Satellite is here: @SOSalty84  
> Nyghtmare is here: @nyghtmare2  
> (It seems we can no longer put links in the notes, but those are our twitter names!)
> 
> If you want to know more about the eventual relationships, just ask!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the amazing comments! We are so glad you are enjoying this!

“So that’s how the mission’s going,” Rhys stated, catching Katagawa up on the specifics of his latest days at Hyperion while he busily got ready for work that morning. Following their, well, _incredible_ night, Rhys was chipper for the first time in what felt like too long. He paused and waited on a breakfast burrito. Still, something was bothering him, something he wanted to address with his boyfriend. “I just...I don’t get why Jack acted like he _knew_ me. He even seemed to recognize my username and… it was _weird_.”

Katagawa sounded unimpressed. “It’s probably some sort of senile break. I’m thankful he didn’t kill you, Rhys. You need to be more cautious around that man.”

“I don’t know…” Rhys trailed off, inspecting his reflection in a nearby mirror. “He was so insistent. And it was all...just...” _familiar. Too familiar._ “Weird,” he settled for, because to admit it was _familiar_ seemed like affirming something that couldn’t possibly be. Like he could bring it to reality with his fear.

Because what if. What if they were wrong, and Jack _did_ know him? Could he even face what that added to his mission? He couldn-

The microwave beeped at him.

“As any old creep would make it seem,” Katagawa interrupted his thoughts. “I don’t want you to be careless, Rhys. Be cautious. There’s more to his games than meets the eyes… As much as I hate the old brute, he’s got more brains than you’d assume at first glance… The sooner you can do away with this thorn, the better.”

“I know, I know,” Rhys said, taking the finished burrito. He sighed. If only he were dining on the Zanara, he thought as he stared down at the cheap food. “I want this over with too, babe... but I don’t think I can strike at Jack in the office. Too well fortified.”

“You could snipe him between meetings,” Katagawa suggested. “It’s what I’d do. After disabling his shield anyway. Perhaps you can fashion an EMP bomb?”

 _Then why didn’t_ you _come?_ Rhys thought sourly. Damn it, he couldn’t lose his good mood this fast. He shrugged the bitter thought away, knowing they’d had that conversation. Katagawa would not be able to blend in at Hyperion. Too well-known.

Rhys took a bite of the burrito, “Yeah. Well, I’m in charge of the schedule, so I’m sure I can set up a perfect opportunity. But I have to gain his sorta-trust first. Or... at least get him to be a bit less suspicious. Either way, I think I’m close.” 

“Just what I like to hear. I trust we will soon have good results, Rhys.”

“Yup,” Rhys agreed. He didn’t know why there was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He grabbed his vest and made for the door of the apartment. “Good results. I gotta get to work now.”

“Call later, baby. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Rhys arrived at Jack’s office a tad early to find Jack wasn’t even in yet. Well, that was a nice surprise. Was this to be a common occurrence? He slipped into his own desk, wishing he was brave enough to go to Jack’s desk and hack his terminal. He collected a few files on his desk and sat them aside before logging onto his computer. He found the usual spyware and bugs, including Jack’s own, before gently coding wool over their eyes. It was a bit of useful code that wouldn’t raise suspicions. Like looping surveillance footage, but digitally.

That done, Rhys quickly dived into the datastreams as he had before, humming to himself. It was like second nature. Unfortunately, it all took awhile. He heard the door open and he minimized the suspicious window and dragged up Jack’s schedule searches.

“Still eager, I see,” Jack said, keen. He crossed his little moat.

“I don’t slack.”

“That remains to be seen.” Jack slipped into his own desk. “Hope you’re in a better mood today.” 

“Let’s just say a little vid call sex goes a long way,” Rhys jabbed proudly, pleased it brought an openly-frustrated look to Jack’s face.

“Took you idiots three months to figure that out?” Jack hissed. There was a tone to his voice that suggested Jack was far from pleased. Was this about...Jack’s come-on? Was...he _jealous_? 

_I’m supposed to assassinate this man, and he’s over there mad that I had video phone sex with my boyfriend_. Rhys stifled laughter into his sleeve. 

It wasn’t like he and Katagawa hadn’t had a lot of phone sex since his absence (Rhys would still have preferred in-person contact), but the video call had been an amazing new twist. Plus it was worth it to brag about this instance just to see the look on Jack’s face. Not that he was going to explain all that to his annoying new boss.

He ignored Jack.

Jack seemed done too, because he sat down at his desk noisily, cursing under his breath.

Rhys returned back to what he was doing: hacking. He got into some juicy Hyperion databases before too long, all the while working on Jack’s schedule research between his snooping, just in case his boss got suspicious. There were a few upcoming events that could be perfect for striking a lethal blow against the King of Hyperion. Katagawa had suggested a sniper, but Rhys was thinking the poison would be easiest. That way, it could look more like an accident.

Katagawa had also suggested an EMP. No way. Risk disabling his own cybernetics and hardware in the process of trying to take Jack down? No thanks.

His eyes flitted to Jack, watching the movements of his thick arms and large hands on his keyboard, before he followed them up to those broad shoulders. He glanced over the realistic mask and wondered what lay behind it. There were rumors, but he supposed they’d always be rumors for him. 

As he watched Jack, something...extremely heavy settled over his heart. He almost felt...sad, and he didn’t know why. Nostalgic, even. That didn’t make sense, though. Maybe he was just missing home.

Yeah. That was it.

Or maybe Jack had gotten in his head, somehow.

“You taking pictures of this sexy mug with that fancy eye?” Jack asked loudly. “I thought you said you didn’t slack.”

“S-sorry,” Rhys stammered, quickly re-immersing himself in the work.

Rhys was about to back out of the database with some nice tidbits to send home when he spotted something that made him smile. Katagawa _Junior’s_ profile. Rhys remembered how much Kat hated “Junior”, and he would be angry if he knew. Still, it was odd seeing this profile. Katagawa had always acted like Hyperion didn’t care about him in particular, which was why Jack’s attacks had been mystifying. Then again, it made sense to have info on rival companies’ execs….right?

Curiosity got the better of him, and Rhys pulled up the profile. He was...greeted with a _lot_ of information. A surprising lot. Katagawa, thirteenth son, Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, sole remaining heir to the Maliwan throne.

> “ _...adept at guns- especially snipers, technology, and a sword that has a monomolecular edge (banned on 98 planets across the galaxy). Current status: neutral or hostile. All Hyperion personnel should not attempt to engage without sufficient planning._ ”

None of this told Rhys much on the attacks against Maliwan.

Rhys dived back into the database, looking around carefully… And what he _didn’t_ find was more mystifying than what he should’ve. There was nothing about the goals of the Maliwan attacks. In fact, the files insisted there’d been no fights between companies in months. All projects in relation to Maliwan were either dried up or simple, small time stuff. Nothing of importance. Nothing the CEO of Hyperion would get his hands in.

Were Jack’s attacks kept under wraps for some reason? 

None of this made sense.

As lunch break was nearing, Rhys withdrew from his hacking and uncovered the spyware he’d blocked. He went back to the scheduling process.

“Take a lunch, Rhysie,” Jack said right on cue without looking up from whatever he was working on. Rhys took a second to look over at him and found Jack completely absorbed in whatever he was doing. 

_Probably harassing some employees,_ Rhys thought, annoyed.

He had to give it to the man though, Jack may have seemed like an inept savage, but when it came to actually working, Jack was often fully absorbed and hands on like he didn’t trust anyone to do the job right. Rhys almost admired that. 

_Almost._

He wasn’t about to give Jack any ounce of admiration. This was his enemy, and he would have to end him. He needed to keep his doubts at bay, even as he felt them lingering deep in the waters of his mind.

“I know I’m handsome and all, but you’re staring again, kiddo,” Jack said, still not looking up.

Of course he noticed it.

“Stop calling me that!” Rhys snapped, looking away immediately as a blush rose to his cheeks. Damn it. He let this man get under his skin too easily, perhaps.

Jack laughed. “I mean if you’re looking for a snack, instead of a full lunch, I guess _I_ can take a break.”

“Gross, I’m the only snack in this room,” Rhys snapped back, feeling weirdly not as disgusted as he wanted, pushing himself up from his desk. He walked around it and headed for the window behind Jack to get a better view of space and thankfully get out of the other man’s sight. 

Or so he thought.

“Yes, you _are_ ,” Jack’s voice replied right in his ear and Rhys nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Asshole!” he snapped, hand flying up to where his heart was hammering in his chest. “Don’t sneak up on me!”

“Oh god- you think haha- _that_ was sneaking- you’re so- god-” Jack let out another laugh, as if Rhys were being hilarious. Rhys glared at nothing until Jack fell silent, standing right behind Rhys. 

Jack exhaled, loudly. 

They weren’t touching, but he was close enough for Rhys to feel his body heat filling the space between them. Part of him wanted to lean into it. Like a magnet pulling him in, his body wanted to betray him.

_What is wrong with you, Rhys?_

“Rhys…”

Jack placed a hand on his shoulder, thumb brushing lightly up the back of his neck in a movement that felt all too familiar, and Rhys shivered. Once again he had to resist the urge to lean into the touch, swallowing the knot in his throat.

Rhys shut his eyes to ignore it, but that made it worse. Memories from his dream the night before flooded his vision, and he bit his lip as a lick of arousal went through him. He had to actively suppress a shudder, refusing to give Jack that satisfaction.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

“Why so tense, _kitten_?” Jack asked. There was something heavy and demanding in his voice. A command and question and attack all at the same time. The question asked more than the simple prod it sounded of.

Or maybe Rhys was just overthinking it. 

He had to be.

Rhys’s breath hitched, knees feeling weak. He did _not_ want to admit to himself, and least of all Jack, what _things_ that word had just done to him. He needed to get out of there, get his head on straight.

Was he really missing physical contact that badly? That would explain...well, everything really. Even phone sex fell short when he could have touches. Was this what Katagawa struggled with? That unshakable need to satiate something? An irresistible scratch that needed itched in Rhys’s absence?

He hated himself, suddenly. Even Katagawa wouldn’t stoop this low for sex, he thought. It was worse that Rhys hadn’t had any trouble until meeting Jack too. Only Jack did this to him. Ugh, he was so terrible. He knew what Jack was. He knew Jack was manipulating him. He knew that Jack was trying to learn his secrets. He knew that Jack was a horrible, wretched person and-

“Lunch time, right? Gotta go!” Rhys said. He quickly slipped away from Jack, turning and hurrying down the steps. He would just go call Kat and take care of himself in the bathroom. Everything would be better once he took the edge off.

“You bastard!” Jack yelled after him, making him jump. “When are you going to stop with these frickin’ games and quit pretending? I’m losing my patience! You can’t even frickin’ acknowledge me anymore!”

“You’re an idiot!” Rhys shot back, frustration and confusion fueling him. He wasn’t thinking straight, too embarrassed to look back at Jack. He didn’t even slow his progression towards the door.

“Yeah? Then why did you come back?” Jack continued, voice almost sounding raw like he was struggling with emotions Rhys still wasn’t convinced he was even capable of. This had to be more mind-fuckery. “No, you know what? I don’t care about a little stupid idiot like you. Got over it a loooong time ago. Take the rest of the day off, shitbag. I don’t want to see you for a while. You disgust me!”

Rhys paused and laughed. “No problem! The disgust is quite mutual!”

Jack’s mood swings were going to do his head in.

Rhys was halfway to the door when he heard something crash and an Echo device went sliding across the floor in pieces two feet away. He cringed and spun around to face Jack, at last. “Did you just try and fucking hit me?”

“You’d _know_ if I was tryin’…” the response was so quiet...and Jack wasn’t even looking at him now. His hands were firmly placed on the desk, head hanging down and shoulders heaving. Rhys could practically see the anger radiating off him. Was Jack pissed because Rhys wouldn’t submit to his weird games? Was this about sex, or…? Rhys stood with his mouth slightly agape, tangled up in the deep confusion. That couldn’t be it. Even an actor like Jack couldn’t be this fucked up over a single lay. It ate at him like a skag.

Jack didn't even bother to look up as he hollered, “OUT, IDIOT! NOW!”

Rhys didn’t have to be told twice, he hightailed it out of there in an instant.

* * *

Rhys sunk down onto his bed again, glaring daggers at the wall. He still couldn’t wrap his head around why Jack kept insisting that he knew him. He knew for a fact he had never met him. Was the man really going senile? Jack wasn’t _that_ old, was he?

Then again, this growing feeling of deja vu was starting to screw with his head too.

“And what the fuck did he mean by saying ‘why did you come back’?!” he shouted at the wall as if he expected it to answer him. “Fuck this!”

Rhys quickly pulled open his contacts on his Echo Eye and scrolled through the list until he found Katagawa. He chose ‘call’ and projected it to his cybernetic arm, opening the palm before him as he hugged his legs to his chest with his flesh arm. 

It barely even rang once before Katagawa answered (at least his boyfriend was picking up more now!), and his voice helped ease Rhys’s nerves. “Rhys!” Katagawa gazed at him from the projection in his hand.

“Hi, Kat,” he replied, deflated.

“What did he do?” Katagawa asked, frowning. Katagawa almost never frowned. He looked ready to run someone through with a katana, in all honesty. “Is everything alright? Did he hurt you?”

“No-no-” Rhys started. _Well, sort of, yeah, but in a mental way?_ Rhys’s head sure hurt. “It’s nothing… I don’t want to talk about it...I just wanted to chat and get my mind off things.”

Katagawa only looked marginally more relaxed. “As long as you’re not hurt…” 

“I’m...fine. How’s your day?”

“Oh, it's not great… Well, I don’t want to make _your_ day worse, Rhys.”

“What?” Rhys asked with dread. “I...need to know.”

“There's been another attack.”

Rhys gritted his teeth, frustration rushing through him. Damn it! Had that happened just after he and Jack argued or…? “Are _you_ okay?” 

“Yes, I am. I was not on the scene when it went down, but I’m getting very tired of it.” 

“I swear, I’m gonna…” Rhys trailed off, thinking about Jack’s angry, slumped posture and defeated tone, “...I’m gonna get him.”

“I know you will, Rhys. And I know it will be soon, yes?” 

Rhys didn’t say anything for a second. It felt like his throat had closed. 

Katagawa seemed to take his silence as uncertainty and went on. “You know, with everything that’s happened...I’m not feeling so good about all this anymore, Rhys… Perhaps I should arrange for you to come home… I do miss you a lot… I’m sure we’ll figure someth-”

A tight knot of irritation resurfaced. Rhys was _trying_ , damn it. “Excuse me for not having killed the CEO of Hyperion himself in two seconds! Jack’s not exactly standing on a platform asking people to take shots at him!” He realized his outburst was a little unnecessary as soon as it left him.

“Oof, Rhys. I thought you’d forgiven me?”

Rhys gazed at his boyfriend, guilty. “S-sorry, it’s not about… I’m over that… I just want to be done as much as you do. I’m just...so wrung out right now.”

“I know… That’s why I’m worried.” Katagawa seemed more distracted, gaze not quite meeting Rhys’s. “Well, I have to get back to work. Father’s calling.”

“See you, Kat.”

Rhys, feeling weary, got ready for bed early. He lay there, staring at the ceiling, brooding and worrying. He didn’t like how his and Kat’s conversation had gone. Were these conversations always going to be like this just because of stress? He was also dreading work, with the way Jack had acted. Would it be awkward? Probably. Would there be some way to make his and Jack’s working relations less stressful and exhausting? Probably not. He sighed and decided to play some games on his echo until he got more tired.

He just wanted to go home. But he’d come too far to back out now.

* * *

Rhys dragged into work, barely escaping being late. He tried not to look at Jack directly as he paced to his desk. He wanted to avoid any….continuation of yesterday, if possible. He hoped by being as unnoticeable as possible, Jack would forget to direct his rage at him. He slipped into his chair and got to typing, only relaxing when he didn’t hear his boss’s voice. He refrained from hacking and got to work straight away on Jack’s schedule. 

Finally! Something good! There was a company gala happening in three days time, and from notes from the secretary, Jack loved those. 

That could be a perfect place to end this charade, Rhys mused, chewing on a pen. Jack seemed so eager to get into his pants, Rhys could easily poison a bit of fancy food and feed the man on the premise of being “flirty”. Rhys perked up again, feeling better with this idea. Finally he could give Katagawa something more substantial than empty promises. And the thought that he might be going home in three days made him feel like he was on cloud nine.

It was as he was viewing some upcoming events, he saw something that’d be both a perfect revenge on Jack for his recent bullshit and an opportunity for himself. He smirked happily. He wanted to bump up this item to today. 

He eagerly made a call, trying to keep his voice low so Jack wouldn’t overhear too much. He wanted it to be a little surprise. When finished, he put the Echo down.

“Hey, Jack?” Rhys cautioned, glancing over to the man. 

Nothing. Jack just typed on his computer.

Rhys wondered if Jack hadn’t heard him.

“ _Jack_?” He asked, louder.

Still nothing. Jack tapped at his keyboard. He didn’t even look his way.

_He’s….ignoring me?_

Rhys sighed. Of course he was dealing with a grown child. “Oh, so you’re just gonna pout today. _Fine_. I just wanted to let you know, you now have a four o’clock here in the office.”

Rhys figured Jack had heard and went back to his own work. He didn’t hear a word from the man. Rhys scowled. As mad at Jack as he was for, well, everything, he couldn’t explain why the childish behaviour stung. He wished it didn’t.

_Whatever, it doesn’t matter._

Jack was about to be severely inconvenienced and he couldn’t wait.

* * *

Lunch had come and gone with Jack giving him the same silent treatment. It had long since gotten old, but the closer it got to four o’clock, the more Rhys didn’t care. The man was surely about to get what was coming to him. He couldn’t _wait_. Ever since day one at the office, he’d wanted to use this scheduling power against Jack for being a total asshole.

Despite the whole being ignored thing, Rhys was actually enjoying the reprieve he got from not having to field off Jack’s stupid insistences that he knew Rhys somehow, someway. And the flirting. He also took the time to observe the man more thoroughly without some stupid remark about Rhys’s “staring” to boost his ego. He wanted to understand this man as well as possible, to avoid any rash decisions on his mission. 

What he’d gathered so far, based on his old and new observations: Jack had a singular focus when he was onto something. Rhys saw that in his determined silence; Jack had become utterly glued to his computer, like before, and Rhys maybe could’ve assassinated him right there for how distracted Jack was.

He didn’t take the chance, of course. Too risky. Jack probably still had one eye in the back of his head on Rhys. Figuratively speaking.

To supplement his observations, Rhys had done some digging on Jack himself. He’d learned that Jack had designed a lot of Hyperion’s projects almost entirely on his own, the most impressive of the lot being _Helios itself_. He'd never admit it out loud, but Jack truly was much smarter than he'd originally given him credit for.

Like Katagawa had warned him…

There was little doubt in Rhys’s mind that Jack’s words and actions had all been manipulation.

Weirdly, Rhys had also learned that Jack wasn’t _quite_ the hot-blooded, brutal, homicidal maniac Rhys had heard. Sure, Jack _could_ murder (he’d seen those reports in the company files, too), and Jack _was_ quick to lose his patience when departments weren't pulling their weight, but Rhys hadn’t _seen_ him airlock anyone… _yet._ He usually just flew into a flurry of insults and yelled at the object of his anger to fix it before doing it himself, with the occasional punch thrown in to mix things up. Jack definitely had a problem with anger, but Rhys suspected Jack’s murderous nature was more preplanned than let on.But it wasn’t just what he’d _seen_. After all, Rhys hadn’t yet spent much time in Jack’s presence.

From his reading, Rhys had realized most of the murders were for either highly personal reasons or because the person killed was a legit traitor to Hyperion.

From all this, Rhys gathered Jack had a _major_ problem with trusting people to do...well, _anything_. How he trusted Rhys to handle his schedule, given the way they first met, Rhys would never understand. Maybe Jack didn’t think he could do much damage.

Well, he was going to find out how wrong he was.

Or maybe this was part of his mind games. Jack was obviously trying to get Rhys to lower his guard and incriminate himself. No way Jack didn’t suspect _something_ was up, given his own words to Rhys when they first met. In fact, Jack might even suspect him a traitor and was just waiting for Rhys to make a mistake.

Rhys swallowed nervously at the thought. He would have to keep being extremely careful. He was starting to understand Katagawa’s fears now that he was closer to Jack. 

_Speaking of scheduling damage..._

Only thirty minutes left until the appointment, and Rhys was giddy. Not really able to concentrate on much else, he searched up memes on his computer; there were a lot of really good Jack ones on the Hyperion net. Not like there was much to do anyway with Jack ignoring him. 

“Son of a taint!” Jack shouted, and Rhys realized he was watching security feeds of a ship requesting permission to dock. “What the hell do those damned clowns want?” 

Scowling, Jack reached over and jabbed the intercom button on his desk to connect with his secretary. "Let them dock," he growled, shooting Rhys an agitated look. Rhys pulled his most innocent face in response. Jack kept talking to the secretary. "Make sure they surrender their weapons and have security escort the idiots up here."

Jack sent Rhys more eye-daggers when he finished giving orders. Rhys just shrugged, trying to hide his smirk. He was very eager to see what was to come. The most amusing part, was it looked like Jack really, really wanted to say something, but was sticking to his plan of giving Rhys the silent treatment.

Worked for him.

Twenty minutes later and the secretary came rushing in. 

Behind them was none other than Katagawa Senior.

The look on Jack’s face was priceless.


	7. Chapter 7

“Jack,” hissed a deep voice as the elderly—but still quite spry, Rhys noticed—Katagawa senior crossed the room. He moved swiftly, as if to get away from the group of Hyperion guards that had followed him in. Some sort of transcriber with a datapad kept stride with Senior, eyes like a hawk on the scene before them all. “I demand to know what your intentions are!” 

Maybe his speed was just due to anger.

The elder Katagawa was an impressive and intriguing man, Rhys thought. His son had clearly gotten his thick hair, sharp features and height from him. Parts of the elder Katagawa’s hair were graying, and his face was somewhat wizened, framed with a light beard. Still, he did bear some youthfulness, and had more weight than the younger Katagawa. 

Come to think of it, Rhys didn’t really know his age. He supposed he could find out if he really wanted—

He was getting distracted.

He couldn’t have wished for a better way to finally meet Katagawa Senior in person. Surely Katagawa must have informed him of Rhys’s mission. For the Maliwan’s CEO’s part, he didn’t so much as spare Rhys but a brief look. Not that he could give any open acknowledgement to Rhys. Rhys was undercover, after all. Rhys struggled not to puff up proudly.

Rhys hid a smirk behind his hand at Jack’s face. Good. Jack’s day was probably ruined by this. He wished he could grab some popcorn because it was already amazing to behold. He was just waiting for it to get to the best part, which shouldn’t take long. Rhys was going to have to treasure this for the rest of his life.

Jack was speaking, “-was gonna ask the same thing of you weird asshats. What warranted stinking up my space station with your - _god_ , is that rose perfume? Ugh! Jesus - yeah you get it.”

Senior paused before the desk, the transcriber watching intently at his elbow. He looked like he’d stepped in a pile of shit at Jack’s words.

“Well?” Jack snapped. “Hurry it up. Spit it out. Chop chop! I don’t got all day for your little princess ass to paint your nails.”

“You are annoyingly abhorrent… I demand you cease fire immediately against Maliwan. If even one more ship is lost to your petty, dishonorable actions, I will have no choice but to declare our companies at war.”

Jack’s mouth dropped a bit, brows rising. “Uhhh?”

Rhys almost chuckled but managed to stifle it. Jack’s reaction was amusing, and this was all quite priceless, but more importantly, he could potentially find out what all the attacks were for. He leaned forward, fiddling with his sleeve, eager to hear what Jack’s reasons were.

Jack’s face morphed into an annoyed sort of amusement. He laughed, loud and harsh. “What are you idiots even on about? Ceasefire? Lost ships? Newsflash, just ‘cause I dominated your sales this month doesn’t mean I’m attacking you, you sore ass losers!”

Rhys blinked. Okay, lying and deflecting. That seemed like something Jack would very well do.

Senior dropped something on the desk with a loud clatter. An Echo. “Here is every instance of what was lost since this began five months ago!” He jutted his chin indignantly. “Explain this.”

Jack scowled and picked up the Echo. He scrolled through the data. “Hold up a sec...” He trailed off, muttering to himself. He dropped the Echo and turned to his computer, fingers clicking against the keys in rapid movement. Rhys stood up and moved quietly closer to watch over Jack’s shoulders, curiosity getting the better of him. He saw Jack scrolling through a log of sorts. Jack was holding the Echo again and seemed to be comparing numbers, brows wrinkling.

Jack looked up at Senior, shoulders rising as he folded his arms. From where Rhys stood now, he couldn’t see Jack’s expression very well, but it was probably deceptive. “Uh, nuh uh, tool, your data is more flawed than my ex’s logic for blowing up a freakin’ awesome laser I built a long time ago. Point being - none of my ships were at any of these locations on these dates. And nothing goes through Hyperion without getting logged here: my office.” 

Rhys stared at the back of Jack’s head, feeling his own brow furrow. Okay, it was a log, sure, Rhys told himself, but that didn’t mean it was an _accurate_ log. It could’ve been made up. But still...it was a lot of work to go through for a meeting Jack hadn’t expected… 

Rhys felt a heavy feeling growing in his chest, stomach churning. His head felt tight. What was going on? Did...did...?

Jack had to be lying

Senior voiced Rhys’s thoughts. “How do I know you are simply not lying? We have eye witness accounts that a yellow Hyperion vessel was in charge of the attacks each time.”

Jack snorted. “I have never had a need to lie, like a little coward, and I am not about to start now. Can’t say the same for you, _Maliwan_. Dress up all fancy to hide the fact your shit stinks worse than most. Everyone knows that.”

Rhys couldn’t resist the urge to roll his eyes. Jack was lying through his teeth and still insisting he had no reason to? Was this really the man who ruled Hyperion? A coward that attacked other companies and lied about it?

Why didn’t the tight feeling in his chest let up, then?

“Maliwan is founded on honor, respect and reliability,” Senior shot back. “Your jealous banter just proves you have none of those.”

 _What he said,_ Rhys thought, fighting a grin. He was starting to relax a bit. Was he really so easily swayed? No, of course not. Katagawa Senior reminded him of his purpose.

“Uh huh,” Jack replied, sounding unimpressed. “And who were these eye witnesses, hm? Maybe an upgrade to Hyperion’s _superior_ cybernetics would help them see better. Yellow, is that all you have to go by? Did ya paint a giant H on the side to try and frame me too?”

Katagawa senior was frowning now, the anger on his face was enough to rival Jack’s. “If you are just going to sit there and continue lying to me like an unruly child, we have nothing else to say here.”

“Good,” Jack snapped. “Clearly I don’t have to worry about some declaration of war if you’re insisting _one_ ship took out several of your operations. I’ll just track them down and hire them to take out the rest of your shitty company.” There was a heavy pause. Jack stood, nearly knocking his chair into Rhys who jumped back with a stifled yelp. “Honestly, this smells even worse than the usual bullshit. Who was your eye witness?” Jack slammed his fist on the desk, true anger rising.

“That isn’t the point here, Jack-” Senior barked back.

“I have a friggin’ right to know who is accusing me if you’re going to come in here on a frickin’ high horse. Sales are up, baby, why the hell would I give two shits about what Maliwan does?” Jack said, spreading his arms wide in a dramatic flourish. 

He wasn’t lying about that, Hyperion did dominate the market… so what was the real reason Hyperion was attacking?

Jack went on. “Besides aren’t you idiots still at war with Atlas? If you can’t even deal with the company that got ground into rubble twice already, then you can’t do shit!”

“And that could be the precise reason you’ve attacked us! Didn’t Atlas used to be yours until some underling stole it right out from under your ass?”

Jack stiffened. He raised a finger. “Mention that again, and I’ll push both your eyeballs so far into your skull they fuse with your brain, then I’ll grab a tiny hook and pull them out through your nose, got it?” His hand was shaking violently, tone so cold it was almost lethal. 

_Sore spot?_ Rhys thought. This time, he was too stressed to be amused, though.The argument was going nowhere and the heavy feeling in Rhys’ chest was only getting worse.

Senior slammed his fist down on Jack’s desk, as if to mirror Jack’s earlier actions. His face screwed up as he yelled, “My own son was attacked by your god damned operatives! I’m done with your bullshit!”

Jack let out an unexpected laugh, chest heaving as if that were quite funny. “Your _son_? That little snake- what’s his name? Kitty? June? No wait- Junior! He’s your witness? Tell me, how do you trust a man who killed all his siblings and spends all day holding orgies on his little trust fund yacht snorting Eridium Dust- okay that part I can kind of respect, but still? Oh-my-god this is frickin’ priceless. Hey, hey, I hope your scribe is recording this in great detail, dicksplash, haha, so we can all remember your face right now. Embarrassing. For you.”

Katagawa senior frowned, opened his mouth like he wanted to comment, but he closed it again just as fast. He blurted, “that’s not possible! He wouldn’t dishonor Maliwan! He may be ruthless and...carnal, but he is loyal to the company before all else! He would not stage attacks, risking a war...” There was a growing uncertainty in his tone.

Jack was howling with laughter now. “Oh-ho my god. Is that it? Is Junior responsible for all of this? It makes sense, doesn’t it. He’s always been a little bitch. Probably thinking he can get us next, but good thing you’re here, to you know, spank him and all that before he completely, I don’t know, destroys your company or something. Wouldn’t _that_ have sucked.”

No, no, no, it couldn’t-

“That can’t be,” Rhys blurted.

Both pairs of angry eyes fell on him, wide with confused emotions. Rhys felt adrenaline shoot through him as he realized he was sounding quite suspicious. 

“I mean,” Rhys coughed, heart pounding in his chest. Hopefully, Jack just passed this off as Rhys’s distaste for him. He had to be sure, after all. “There had to be other witnesses...right? Maliwan’s complaints seemed valid and uh… That’s why I scheduled… And what about the...” It was harder and harder to speak, as Rhys remembered the picture of Katagawa covered in blood after one of the “attacks” and...had that been fake?

Katagawa Senior put a hand on his face, sighing deeply. 

The silence told Rhys all he needed to know.

“Oh, can it, Rhysie,” Jack said, apparently having broken his silent treatment. “I ain’t gonna like, fire you for this. Stop trying to embarrass yourself-” 

Rhys couldn’t breathe. It felt like something was compressing his chest. He blinked rapidly, not hearing any words at this point. He swallowed at a lump in his throat. He could see the others, but they were fuzzy and indistinct. Oh, that would be the tears in his eyes. He swiped them away, losing his grip on the moment. Too much to care if they saw.

Kat….had _lied_ to him? This entire time? 

_Why?_

_What am I here for if...if Jack was never a threat to him, to us, and-_

Rhys remembered how frantic he’d been when...when he thought Katagawa had almost died. But all of that had been framed and acted? The one person Rhys could’ve used right now as he spiraled, and… Now, he didn’t know if he could trust him. The only person who had cared about Rhys since he’d woken from that crash. The only person that brought Rhys joy and, and took care of him-

When Rhys had woken with no memories, nobody had come for him. Only Katagawa had been by his side.

It hurt so much.

Rhys choked a bit. And he found his legs carrying him. They carried him past the group and towards the door. He thought he heard someone calling him, but he didn’t slow. In fact, he broke into a sprint and made for the elevator, gasping for air by the time he reached it. More wet tears dripped down his cheeks. He stabbed the elevator button over and over again.

“Open, fuck you!” He yelled at it.

Why would Katagawa do this? Just pit Rhys against Hyperion? Did this have to do with how Jack had been acting towards him? It felt hard not to jump to the worst conclusion, but… If Katagawa could lie about the one thing… He could’ve lied about anything. Something wasn’t right here, he could feel it in the deep ache in his chest. 

With a ding, the elevator arrived. He rushed inside it and it closed. He thought he heard loud footsteps in the corridor behind him and another shout, but it was lost as the elevator moved again. Rhys slumped back against the elevator wall, sobbing.

Gods, he needed a drink. A really strong one.

* * *

An hour later and Rhys was well past buzzed, slumped over the bar, drooling and semi-dozing, nursing something close to his face that would have been fruity if he hadn’t asked for extra vodka… or was it tequila? Oh right, he needed to drink it! He sat up and quickly finished it off, slamming the glass back down.

“‘Nother please!” he slurred.

“I think you’ve had enough, young man,” the bartender replied tiredly.

Rhys frowned, anger rising. “Don’t y’know I work f’ fucking Handsome goddamned Jack? Another! Or I...will… Tell. Him. Heh. I’m powerful.”

She frowned right back. “Fine, but this is your last one. Better not puke your guts up here.” She grabbed the glass and turned away.

Rhys huffed at the counter. “Stupid Kat,” he muttered under his breath. “Stupid boyfriend. Fucks around and lies to my face and thinks he can tell _me_ what to do? Not after this!” He scrolled through his contacts, pulling up Katagawa’s name as he tried sending him a message. Typing was hard, even with his cybernetic eye, when the room wouldn’t stop moving.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: youu assolhe!
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: i tht you luved meeeeeeee
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: hwo coud Yu!

“There you are!”

Rhys jumped out of his skin as a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. If he’d had a drink, he probably would’ve spilled it on everything. He immediately started giggling when he saw who the hand belonged to. “Jackie!” He turned toward the bartender, waving excitedly. “See, Lila, I told you! Dumb boss! More drinks! He’ll have the one with the unicorn on the label, I think-”

The bartender paled, holding Rhys’s newest drink uncertainly.

Jack snapped, “No, no more friggin’ drinks, you moron. Give him another and you’ll find a one way trip out my airlock.” 

“Of course, sir,” she said quickly and marched away, disappearing into the back.

Rhys stuck out his bottom lip pointedly, pouting. “You’re no fun, Jack. Don’t you ever...drunk?” He waved around the bar.

“What was all that about, kiddo?” Jack said, sitting down beside him. “A bit ago, ya know, when you decided you could just skip work in the middle of an important meeting?”

“Big dumb boyfriend,” Rhys muttered, vaguely aware that he had to watch what he said. It was really hard to read the situation, right now. He swayed, nearly falling off his stool before Jack caught him and held him steady. “Texted me,” he muttered, pulling enough thoughts together to lie. He dropped his eyes.

“During the meeting? Do we have to have the talk about Echo eye usage agai-”

“Hey, you’re handsome,” Rhys said, interrupting Jack. He still hadn’t pulled away. “Why’s your stupid face pretty?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Because I’m the friggin’ best, kiddo. Duh. And you are drunk, idiot.”

Rhys pouted again. “No, _you_ are.” He grinned and tangled his hand into Jack’s lapel. He had a moment, where he knew exactly what he was doing. And vengeance surged through his chest. He pulled Jack so hard the man’s face crashed into his. Rhys kissed him, sloppily.

Jack shoved him back and jerked away. “What the fuck, Rhys?”

Rhys grew indignant. “Wha...am I not good enough for you...suddenly?”

Jack’s face was darkened. “One minute… You act like you hate me and the next... _this_?”

“Come on, handsome, I know you want it. Like you didn’t spend two whole days trying to fuck me. Honestly, kinda pathetic if you think abou’ it, but hey, I’m over it.” Rhys said, tugging loosely at Jack’s collar. He didn’t even care anymore. He just didn’t. Screw Katagawa. Screw his entire life. Quite literally screw Jack. He may as well make everything just a bit worse, right?

But Jack shook his head. “Forget it. You’re black-out drunk. I’m getting you home.”

“Ooooh hoooome, even _better_. There’s...bed, hehe.” 

“Where do you liv- Wait, why am I asking a stupid idiot like you when I can look it up?” 

“ _You’re_ stupid.” 

One minute Jack fiddled with a device, and the next, he dragged Rhys off the stool. Rhys’s legs wobbled a bit. Jack hooked Rhys’s arm over his shoulder and dragged him out of the bar. The next moments were a bit of a blur. Rhys blinked and missed it. Soon, he was at his apartment, being shouldered onto his bed by Jack.

“When’d’d you get here?” Rhys asked, batting at Jack’s hand lightly, giggling. “You naughty...thief, you, breaking into my apartment, eh?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Come to... _steal_ something?”

“Shut up. You’re annoying drunk.”

“Fuck,” Rhys groaned, gripping his forehead. “Fuuuck. All the men in my life are _liars_ ~ That’s what you are... _liars_ … Heh, I’m such a dumbass.”

“Yes, you are, but what the frig is that supposed to mean?” Jack’s voice grated on his ears. Jack leaned closer, brow heavier than usual as he eyed Rhys. “The lying bullshit part I mean. Way I see it, you’re the frickin’ liar here.”

Rhys shifted, clearing his throat. He was starting to feel nauseated, but he tried to ignore it. “Sure-sure-sure- You said you wanted me and now you don’t. Make up your mind.”

There was a hefty pause, one in which the room started swaying. Jack stepped back from the bed and exhaled, muttering loud enough for Rhys to hear, “hard to want a man who treats me as less than dirt.” His voice increased in volume, sounding a mix of angry, confused, and exhausted. “Though crazy enough, still kinda do...and if you weren’t a drunk stupid mess I might even…” He raked his hands down his face. “Shit…I’ve missed you so _much_ , Rhysie, but clearly… That wasn’t reciprocated. Even now you just wanna use me because you’re pissed at some ‘boyfriend’, though still not convinced you have one.”

Rhys was aware of Jack walking towards the door, about to leave. “Wait!” He exclaimed, leaning forward, but the rest of his body didn’t move. He groaned at the spinning room.

Jack paused, shoulders tense.

“Don’t leave, please,” Rhys mumbled, trying to focus on Jack, “I’m so tired of being...alone.”

“Yeah well...get used to it,” Jack growled. “Not that you really know what being alone truly is, cupcake.” Jack turned back around and stalked towards the bed. “How can you just _keep_ doing this to me, like it’s not even an effort, like it’s nothing for you? Don’t you have one single ounce of self-awareness, Rhys? Can’t you at least act a _little_ remorseful for disappearing or something-”

Rhys raised his brow, barely processing. He drew himself up in spite of the tilting room, feeling defensive. “What’d _I_ do? You keep acting like-”

Jack gritted his teeth, drawing closer. “You _died_ ! And then came back acting like-like- _this_ ! And I- I’m really starting to think I’m fuckin’ hallucinating this shit. I saw your corpse and-” Jack stopped, gripping his own head. He keened like he had been stabbed. “You _aren’t_ real, are you? Why are you _doing_ this to me?”

“Real as you,” Rhys murmured, eyes half-lidded. He collapsed then, energy leaving as quickly as it had come. He snuggled into the soft blankets. He still felt nauseous, and the bed was a comfort.

Jack’s voice was loud, and getting nearer again. “Every morning I keep expecting you won’t come into the office, because you were never there, and when I look in the database, there won’t be a single trace of you. Not your scheduling, nothing on the cameras, and I’ll fuckin’ know. I’ll fuckin’ know. That you never actually came back. That I can’t even trust my own mind.” 

Rhys opened his eyes, which had drifted shut.

Jack was in his face, peering at him like a scientist watching a lab rat, bemused and rapt. Rhys blinked. Jack cupped his cheek with a large hand, sounding possessed and distraught. “ _Rhys…_ Please, explain this to me.”

“I’m sorry,” Rhys mumbled tiredly. “I don’t understand.” He really didn’t.

“I don’t either,” Jack murmured.

Jack pressed their lips together, softly, a contrast to the earlier rough kiss Rhys tried to initiate.

Rhys pushed at Jack, who tightened the grip. _Fuck. Let go, let go-letgo-_ he was about to- He jerked away and vomited over the edge of the bed, causing Jack to leap back with a loud, disgusted curse. He heard retreating footsteps and the door sliding shut. Rhys groaned and wiped at his mouth when he stopped heaving. 

He slumped back on the bed and everything faded to black.

* * *

_Rhys’s hands clenched the edges of Jack’s huge desk as the heavy weight bore down on him. He could feel Jack’s even, leisurely thrusts inside of him, bringing surges of pleasure each time he hit his prostate. His body was naked, warm and shaking. His pants and whimpers were loud in his own ears._

_There was a ding that made Rhys freeze and cover his mouth with one hand. The noise had come from the intercom. Jack lifted up a bit and slowed, tapping the button. “What now, dumdum?”_

_“Uh, your ten o’clock is here, sir.”_

_“Send ‘im in.”_

_Rhys’s shifted, eyes widening, dropping his hand from his mouth back to the desk. “Ja-Jack!”_

_“Hush.”_

_Rhys gasped as Jack resumed his pace, only harder, as if to prove a point. Rhys gripped the desk even tighter, only somewhat-restrained moans leaving his throat. It was odd, but he didn’t feel as annoyed as he could’ve. In some sense, he felt this was what he wanted. For everyone to see who he belonged to._

_The doors to the large office slid open, and in strolled Katagawa Junior. The young Maliwan representative only looked briefly surprised, and Rhys found himself unable to look away from the younger man. Rhys’s pleasure grew, gazing at Kat’s soft skin and dark hair.... He was..._ really _good looking. The way his eyes fell on Rhys in turn made Rhys’s toes curl even more under Jack’s insistent thrusts. Rhys’s head thunked against the desk as the heat in his face grew hotter._

_“Wow, what a show, Jack,” Katagawa laughed. “Makes me feel right at home.”_

_“Shut up,” Jack grunted. “This isn’t for you… Well, not in the way you might think, anyway.” He gripped Rhys’s hair, forcing Rhys’s face up. “And watch, cuz this… This right here is mine._ Got it _?”_

_“Of course,” Katagawa said, voice pitching slightly. “Wouldn’t dream of…”_

_Rhys didn’t miss the growing tent in his pants, the darkening of his eyes._

_“F-fuck I’m almost-” Rhys gasped, rocking his hips back to meet Jack’s thrusts. “Almost there, Jack.”_

_“Thaaat’s it,” Jack said, “come for me. Say you’re mine, and mine only, Rhysie.”_

_Rhys thought he saw Katagawa touching himself, squeezing the hard on through his pants. Rhys’s body arched and he moaned. “I-I’m yours- fuck!”_

Rhys jolted up with a bolt of adrenaline, feeling groggy and nauseated even as his heart pounded. _Oh...a really weird fucking dream,_ he thought. He groaned and dropped back against his pillow, already disappointed that everything still existed. He didn’t want to ever leave this shit bed again. 

The thought of the dream left him feeling really, really weird. Why was he dreaming like that? His mind kept turning on him, and it made him squirm uneasily in his own thoughts. Logically, he knew he couldn’t control a dream, but there’d been a really visceral quality, like a lucid memory. Even now it felt... _familiar_.

_No way._

It’s not like the dream was particularly raunchy compared to what went down on the Zanara often, though Rhys had only ever let Kat fuck him. 

“I’m so fucking messed up by all this,” Rhys complained at the room. Dreams had weird psychological reasons right? The dream had to be a combination of the weird sexual tension between him and Jack lately (Why, oh gods, why did Jack make him feel like _this_ … ) along with missing Katagawa… Even despite the betrayed feelings he’d suffered after learning of Kat’s deception, he, deep down, just wanted things to be right again. Wanted to go back to before he felt betrayed by the man he loved.

He realized he couldn’t remember much of last night after he’d started to drink. Although...he did vaguely remember a kiss and throwing up. Hopefully he hadn’t...done anything uh...really _bad or embarrassing_. He thought he remembered Jack talking to him at some point, but surely Jack wouldn’t have given a shit about what Rhys was doing. Fortunately, there was no sign of his vomiting. The cleaner bots must’ve done their duty. He forced himself upright again.

He noticed way too many unread messages from Katagawa and even two missed calls. He sighed with dread. He was starting to remember the messages he’d sent while drunk. These must be the replies.

What was he going to do? 

With a sigh, Rhys scrubbed his face with his flesh hand. In complete honesty, he didn't want to deal with Katagawa. Not right now. Didn't want to deal with any of it. Not Jack. Not fucking Hyperion. Not his stupid mission. He just wanted to nurse his hangover. 

Checking the time, he knew he would be late for work if he laid there any longer but couldn’t decide if he cared. He felt like shit, probably looked like it too. 

Why had he let himself drink so much?

With another sigh, he crawled out of bed and climbed to his feet slowly. The movement sent a sharp throb of pain to his head, and he had to stand still until it passed. Once he could stand without feeling like his head was going to explode, he moved himself to the shower. The warm spray beating against his skin helped him feel marginally better, but he still slumped against the wall for support, finally deciding he had to look at Katagawa’s messages.

He cringed at the messages he had sent, so painfully typed, but at least they didn’t give away anything he had witnessed at the Maliwan meeting yesterday. He still had some cards to play, if necessary.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: What? Rhys, babe, I promise I haven’t been with anyone else since.

_Doubt it._

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Rhys?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Hello??
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Rhys, why aren’t you answering?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: What did I do?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: I thought you forgave me?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Rhys, answer me
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: and now you aren’t picking up either
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: RHYS PLEASE RESPOND
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Are you okay?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Maybe you should come home now. 
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: This job is really getting to you, I can tell. I’m sorry I thought you were ready. I just want you safe again.
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Rhys, please :(

Rhys couldn’t help but wince at the messages and the many more like it. Not to mention the calls. Had he really slept through all that? 

He opened the keyboard interface on his Echo Eye to respond and wound up staring at the blinking cursor for longer than necessary. He didn’t know where to start or what to even say...

‘ _Hey Kat, have you been lying to me this entire time? Lova ya, Rhys.’_

He still hadn’t processed what he’d discovered yesterday. He didn’t know the full details, after all. Maybe it wasn’t what it seemed. Maybe he had just misunderstood. Maybe there was a logical explanation for Kat’s deception. Or maybe Jack had so cleverly twisted things to seem like Katagawa had lied...but judging by Senior’s reaction, that seemed a stretch. Senior seemed convinced.

No. There was no way he could bring up what he’d found out. If Katagawa was lying, he needed to know why first. If it was a worst-case scenario, he needed to have the upper hand. If he was lucky, maybe he could weasel more information out of Jack today… Unless Jack was still ignoring him…

 _Come on Rhys, focus._

It shouldn’t be that hard to respond to his boyfriend… right?

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: hey, Kat. I’m sorry I was drunk and I passed out

Katagawa’s response was immediate. Rhys _almost_ felt guilty.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Finally!
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Are you mad at me?

_Yes._

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: No
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Are you sure?
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: What did your texts mean?
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: it was just a rough night
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: just missing you.. 
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: I guess I got really stressed and kinda took it out on you.
> 
> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: sorry ://
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Come home then, you don’t have to do this

Rhys frowned. Again with Kat’s insistence on him coming home! Katagawa had been the one pushing Rhys to do this from the start. Sure, Katagawa was getting spooked now, but this was getting ridiculous!

Rhys felt nerves. What if...what if Katagawa was hiding something, and that’s why he didn’t want Rhys to keep at this? Seemed absurd, but...

> [ **rHys5W1NZ** ]: I can’t. I’m real close
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Forget it, Jack isn’t worth it.
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Come home
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Please, love
> 
> [ **Kat❤️** ]: miss you so much <3

A heavy feeling was settling itself in Rhys’ chest again. He knew it was hard to read much into a text, but… why was Katagawa being so uncharacteristically affectionate? Did he really just miss Rhys? It got to Rhys more than he wanted to admit, having Kat talk this way to him. It was hard not to say “yes, please take me away from this right now!” He really did want to go home and forget all this bullshit.

But. He couldn’t. Not now.

> [ **rHys5W1NZ** ]: hey, your dad was here yesterday
> 
> [ **rHys5W1NZ** ]: got into an argument with Jack
> 
> [ **rHys5W1NZ** ]: of course Jack is lying about the attacks

Rhys waited for a response. Waited so long his water was going cold. With yet another heavy sigh, he shut the shower off and climbed out, toweling himself off before getting dressed for the day.

He was on his way out the door when he finally got a response from Katagawa as if Rhys hadn’t been aware he was left on read.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Sorry, Rhys, work calls! I’ll talk later.

After the million texts all morning and Katagawa being a chronic time thief at work? Yeah, right. Scowling to himself, Rhys closed out of the messenger. 

Rhys felt it in his gut. Something was wrong and he would have to get to the bottom of it. Either way, he still needed to figure out what he was going to do with Jack… He decided to get back to his original plan. The plan to assassinate Jack at the gala. Even if the man wasn’t behind these attacks on Maliwan, he was still dangerous. And if Rhys did manage to take him out, surely he would be able to move up at Maliwan. If Katagawa’s reasons turned out to be wholly selfish, he could make his own path...if necessary.

Right now, he had to finish the job. He would have to deal with Katagawa later.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a minor self indulgent side ship in this chapter, enjoy! :D

Rhys wasn’t even fifteen minutes late when he arrived to work at Jack’s office, but he braced himself for the ridicule he surely would get. He could have sworn the secretary even looked at him with pity on the way in. However, a berating was not what Rhys got. What he got was a continuation of the silent treatment. Jack did not even look at him.

Rhys scowled. It stung and that pissed him off more. Why should he care what Jack thought? He had no idea why it bothered him so much. They were enemies for crying out loud! He stomped over to his desk, but it nagged at him, festering just beneath the surface. His fists clenched, teeth grinding. He knew he should ignore it, push past the irrational anger, but…

He couldn't. His muscles locked up in anger, and he spun to face Jack, grinding his teeth. The words were out of his mouth before he even had a chance to stop them. “You know, you are an absolute child!”

Jack flinched and directed a glare at Rhys. “ _Excuse me_ , princess?”

“You heard me. Still ignoring me because I refused to sleep with you the other day, huh? It’s really pathetic."

Jack barked out a laugh. “Still think the world revolves around you, huh? Nu uh, cupcake. You’re the one that kissed _me_ yesterday, remember? When I found your drunk ass in the worst bar on this station.” 

"What?!" Rhys’s face burned. He had...done that? He knew something had happened while he had been drunk, but this was even worse than he had feared. “Oh no… no-no-no--”

“Oh yeah. Should I go on, hmm? Cause you clearly forgot how I had to drag your drunk ass back to your apartment while you begged me to stay,” Jack continued, pushing himself to his feet. 

“I...uh--”

“What, huh? What is it, got more to say about what a creep I am? Please, go on." Jack's voice was icy, face twisted in anger.

Rhys dropped his gaze, face burning. Guilt and shame welled up inside him and he couldn’t tell who it was for, Jack or Katagawa? "Yeah uh...I didn't realize…"

Jack grabbed the front of Rhys's vest and dragged him towards his desk. Rhys let out a yelp and stumbled to keep from falling. Jack shoved him back onto the desk, causing some Echo devices to spill onto the floor. Rhys blanched and gripped the edge, watching the Hyperion CEO's wild expression. 

This was it. This was how he'd die!

"J-Jack?" Should he apologize, or--?

Jack crowded him in, arms on both sides, pinning Rhys there.

"Now that you're sober, I just wanna know _why_ . Frickin’ make all this shit make sense, Rhysie," he growled, voice dangerously low. " _Explain_ what is going on, ‘cause I’m getting sick of all this jerkin’ around."

Rhys swallowed. 

Now that they were so close, Rhys could see the exhaustion etched into Jack’s face. The man put up a good front to hide behind his anger, but Rhys could see it, the exhaustion that accumulated from hours and hours of mindless, soul crushing work. Rhys’s heart ached.

_Why?_

_I need to get more sleep, ugh._

Jack spoke again, “Well? I’m waaitiing... Still waiting, cupcake.”

Right. He had to answer. Somehow. Rhys was so confused, though. "I…" A million thoughts raced through Rhys's head. What did he even say right now? He wished he knew why he’d apparently kissed Jack? Revenge on Katagawa? This desperate desire inside him to be touched? General stupidity? "I don't know. I guess...drunk me has no filter? I guess I should be grateful you didn't...uh...take advantage of that…" He cleared his throat awkwardly.

Jack frowned. "You think _that_ goddamned lowly of me? As if I’ve ever done anything against your wishes, you ungrateful shit.”

Rhys had to point out, “you did...sort of kiss me without asking when we uh...first met. In the hall. That night. Heh.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh boohoo. And I thought you remembered me, but you keep pretendin' you don’t… Anyway, why the hell did you act like that last night? First the stormin' off, then all that weird shit at the apartment and trying to get into _my_ pants this time...!"

"Believe it or not…” Rhys sighed and dropped his gaze. “A lot of this is my… _relationship_ issues." Rhys tried to be as honest as he could without admitting he was there to murder Jack on behalf of Maliwan. "You're uh...kind of in the middle of it. I… guess I let it get out of control when I drank."

“So you weren’t lying when you mentioned that boyfriend of yours? I’m about to find his ass and space him for all the headaches he’s causing me, not least of all for dating you.”

“That’s not necessary!” Rhys interjected. “It won’t happen anymore, I promise.”

There was a pause. Jack tilted his head, eyes slitted. Rhys felt like any word he spoke would be scrutinized deeply. “Why’d you say that bit about being alone, anyway?” Jack’s voice was nonchalant, but his expression was as heavy as a neutron star. "Something to do with this knight in shining armor being missing in action?"

“I don’t...remember well. Uh. What... _exactly_ did I say.”

Jack snorted, grinning, mischief brewing behind his demeanor. His voice became high pitched. “ _‘Oh Jack, I’m sooo tired of being alone, please stay with me, please, you're so handsome and perfect, unlike my boyfriend, wahahaha, woe is me.’_ I’m paraphrasing, but it was a lot like that. You get it.”

“I didn’t say-! Uuurgh…” Jack was definitely lying now! It was Rhys’s turn to roll his eyes.

Jack gripped his chin and forced their gazes to lock. “No seriously. No more lies. Tell me.”

Rhys had to come up with something to placate him. He searched his brain, remembering he could be mostly honest. It should help. “I...I have to do something. For him. And I haven’t been able to do it, though. It’s hard, you know? I’m trying so hard, and it’s taking forever, and I just want to...be with him again. I think it’s making things really tense lately.”

Jack’s expression had changed several times as Rhys was speaking. From disbelieving, to aghast, to indignant, and then...cautious curiosity. “Aaand…. _what_ exactly do you have to do for _him_?”

Rhys forced himself to sound stern. “That’s private.”

Jack went right back to angry, ranting, “yeah well, you shouldn’t have to do _shit_. If he cares about you at all, he wouldn’t make…” Jack abruptly trailed off and shook his head. “What do I know though, huh? I’m just the guy you can’t stand to be around anymore!” Jack stepped back as if burned, hissing. He spun away, shoulders tense. There was another pause. "Fine. This better not freakin’ happen again. If it does, I'm revoking your goddamned Echonet privileges and letting you rot in a cell for a while. Got it?"

"Yeah. Totally. Definitely. One hundred percent.." Rhys just had to manage this weirdness until the gala. Jack's expression was unreadable as he spun back. Rhys quickly escaped their proximity, making it to his desk without any further harassment. He realized he was shaky. He quickly buried himself in his work, trying not to think of Katagawa or Jack. Luckily, Katagawa hadn't messaged again, so it was easier to just forget about the man for now.

Rhys didn’t do too much work, seeing as he wouldn’t even have to worry about this job after the gala. He did some meager stuff in case Jack was watching. But partway through the shift, he slumped on the desk and dozed off again, more hazy dreams flitting through his mind.

_Jack’s warm body flushed against his, pressing him against the cool glass as he thrusted into him. The hot breath on his neck as tongue and teeth assaulted Rhys's pulse point drew a loud moan out of Rhys. He was burning up, consumed by the passion and lust._

_Large hands worked up Rhys’s bare torso and Rhys writhed in the grip, pushing himself back to meet Jack’s thrusts. Pleasure thrummed through him, cock heavy and hard between his legs._

_“Jack,” he breathed. “Please.”_

_One of those hands broke off, sliding down until it reached-_

NO!! _No, no, no not again_. 

Rhys sat up, wide awake. It was just a dream, he told himself, even as the images lingered in his thoughts. Rhys was a thimble of weakened willpower away from fantasizing about the man he was supposed to kill. But he was _not_ going to think about that. He was _not_. Even as his treacherous cock stirred in his pants, hardened. Even if he was mad at Katagawa, he was not going to suddenly bend over for Jack. Drunk him did not factor here, of course.

Rhys glanced at Jack, who was typing and thankfully ( _hopefully_ ) oblivious to Rhys's dark thoughts. Rhys sighed, noting it was close to lunch.

Rhys let himself cool off, waiting for his arousal to drain away… He remembered he still had some information to gather. Jack had completely distracted him from it earlier. When he was sure he wasn’t going to think anything untoward, he spoke to Jack.

"Hey." Rhys said, catching his attention. "Do you know Katagawa Junior?” He asked as nonchalantly as possible.

“Don't _you_?” Jack shot back without missing a beat, looking up from his work.

Rhys startled. “What? Why would I?”

"Oh, maybe because he's such a little fucking dickhead that just causes problems. Why’re you asking me this out of the blue anyway?”

Oh. Jack was just being salty.

Rhys shrugged, trying to hide the momentary panic. A part of him had irrationally thought he was caught. He took steadying breaths. “I mean, I was thinking about the Maliwan meeting and wondered... he apparently was the reason for the confusion. I’m allowed to wonder what’s going on.”

Jack’s face filled with hate, most likely for Kat. “Okay fine, you wanna know about whittle baby Junior? Little trust fund brat got real jealous of all his siblings and killed them! That's it! That's the whole kit and kaboodle! I mean, I love a good bloodbath as much as the next guy, but it was kinda pathetic if you really think of it. Like how do you make a massacre _that_ lame?”

Rhys was somewhat aware of that information, though Katagawa didn't like to talk about his ...former siblings. He'd always hated them. Had said they were never his family. So, Jack's words made sense. Rhys exhaled, schooling himself to stay calm. It felt hard to breathe again, but he had to get the conversation where he wanted it. He had to know. “Why does he have it out for _you_ , though?”

Jack shrugged. “Probably because he thinks if he can win a war against Hyperion, then he can finally take over his daddy’s shit company.” Jack grabbed a bag of….pretzels? And angrily crunched a few. “He can try. If he gets too big for his britches, I won't hesitate to off that bitch. This probably won't be the last time he pulls some shit anyway. Honestly dunno why the old man doesn’t start over. His first litter sucked.”

Rhys snorted. Jack was talking about the Katagawas like they were _cats_. It was...kinda funny, if he were honest. Until he remembered he was still technically dating one. He still wasn’t sure if this was all true, but given how the last information had turned out… He found himself believing it.

So Katagawa lied to him to get Rhys to help him advance his position? It wasn’t completely confirmed, but it checked out.

"That makes more sense now." Rhys was glad his voice was level, because his heart was burning with anger and resentment. Of fucking course. Why was he surprised! Execs were all the same, ready to use anything and anyone to get ahead. Why did Katagawa have to lie to him, though… Katagawa should’ve trusted him. 

He grumpily gazed out Jack’s window again. 

_Well screw that, I’m taking the sole credit when Jack dies. Fuck that bastard._

Jack’s voice broke into Rhys’s storming thoughts. “Alright, Rhysie, get out of here. Go find a suit for the gala tomorrow, tell them to put it on my tab. It better look nice, too.”

Rhys blinked, reeling in surprise at the sudden dismissal. "What? It’s barely lunch!" He protested, before he realized he was misdirecting his anger. Why should he be angry about getting off work early? No, he was pissed at Katagawa.

"Yeah, I know,” Jack replied in a deadpan monotone. “I'm tired of chatting though and you're just falling asleep anyway."

Rhys flushed and stood up. Jack went right back to ignoring him.

Rhys stood there, feeling frustrated and weird, staring at Jack. He realized he wasn’t just angry at Kat. He was angry at Jack, too. He was super regretting being drunk in front of this man because apparently he had a lot of issues with his self-control. He was mad Jack had seen all that.

And yet Jack hadn't taken advantage of him, despite how much he’d wanted Rhys before…

With a sigh of bone-deep exhaustion, he left the office in a sullen silence. 

_Why hasn’t he just fired me? I've been a pretty shit worker so far. Something doesn't add up in all of this… What does he want? There’s something more going on, I can feel it._

Rhys was just glad he hadn’t.

_Just one more day, Rhys. Just one more._

As Rhys rode the elevator from Jack’s office, he got a message on his Echo Eye..

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: I think we should talk, Rhys. In person.

_Yeah, right._ Rhys ignored the message. As if Katagawa would come to Helios anyway.

* * *

Rhys relocated himself to the fanciest fashion shop he could find on Helios - The Frosty Divine. It had nearly five star reviews on the Helios Hub Network. Rhys saw why as soon as he arrived. The place was huge and extravagant, with polished wood floors, plush rugs and curtains, and even chandeliers. There were mannequins dressed in all manner of beautiful and highly expensive dresses, gowns, suits, and so much more. Just walking into this place felt like entering a new dimension, one where the very air was made of money. He saw the price tags and grinned so hard his face hurt. He could really rack up a tab here.

That would surely get under Jack’s skin, though he was probably too rich to care. Still, Rhys could pretend Jack would and enjoy it all the same. Besides, recklessly spending money was everyone’s dream.

Rhys felt slightly out of place given that he wasn’t dressed to hell and back before walking in here, but he had every right to these clothes! If he had access to Katagawa’s penthouse, he could have presented himself better. As it were, he would just have to be confident. 

He spotted a nearby associate arranging a dress on a tall mannequin. “Excuse me,” he said. 

She turned. She was a pretty woman with a red streak in her short hair. She wore a sharp coat with frilly cuffs and the complex pattern of a phoenix engraved in it. Her lower half was dark, glittering pants and sharp boots.

“Yes?” She said. “Are you lost?”

“No, I’m not,” Rhys said in his smoothest voice. “I’m here to kill Handsome Jack. With my good looks. I mean, uh-”

“Uh huh,” she said, tilting her head, giving him a once-over, clearly unimpressed. “Maybe you should try the nearest dumpster, instead. I’m sure Handsome Jack will die of laughter.”

Rhys frowned.

“What have I said about treating the guests with respect, Fiona dear,” a strong, high voice asked from over the racks of items.

“ _Sorry_ ,” Fiona replied, placing her hands on her hips, not sounding so. “It’s hard when they look like they wandered in from the Veins of Helios.”

“Fi, I can take it from here,” the woman said, appearing nearby. “Run along and help with the new shipment, won’t you?” She was tall - taller than Rhys was, and he wasn’t used to being shorter than other people - with high cheekbones and a lofty air. She seemed to gaze down at others, but not with a cruelty Rhys might expect in such a place. She wore an ice-blue designer coat with some sort of fur boa and a skull emblazoned on the shoulder. She also had elbow-length leather gloves, with pants and boots similar to Fiona.

“Fine, Aury.” Fiona shrugged and strolled off without another glance.

The woman met Rhys’s gaze, chin still up. “Hello, I am Lady Aurelia Hammerlock,” she said, waving a fan gracefully. “I own this boutique… You may call me Aurelia.”

“I’m Rhys. Honored to meet you.” Rhys struggled to contain his amazement. He’d read this place was owned by Lady Hammerlock, but didn’t think he’d meet her in person! A lot of those great reviews referred to Lady Hammerlock. Rhys felt immediately smaller, but also somewhat awed. This woman was considered famous in fashion circles. 

Rhys was behind on some of those issues.

“And you, darling,” Aurelia said pleasantly. “I do so apologize for Fiona. We are still working on her manners, but she is perfect at her work. You must understand, a model’s pride is hard to tame.”

“Oh I get it,” Rhys said hastily. “Totally understandable.”

“Now. What is that you needed, dear? What can I help you with today?”

Rhys puffed up, feeling excited. “Oh something really good. I need to seduce Jack, basically.”

Aurelia nodded, eyes glinting, fan slowing before resuming its waving. “Of course, of course, the usual, then.” She sounded amused.

“The usual?” Rhys echoed.

“Quite! Everyone hopes to impress Jack, but not to worry! I know just what you require, young man. You must be attending the gala tomorrow eve. It will be an interesting affair, even if Jack is atrocious at arranging proper decor. And I do wish he would stop by here for a fashion cleanse himself. His clothes, frankly, need to be burned in the garbage!”

Rhys laughed. No one talked about Jack like that… Except for Aurelia Hammerlock, it seemed. This was amazing! “You’re right. I am going to the gala. And yeah...his clothes are the worst.”

Aurelia hummed. “Follow me, if you would.” She pivoted and took off.

Rhys hastened to keep up. 

Not an hour later, Rhys had tried on many suits and even some dresses, but he eventually settled for the heavy V-necked vest-and-dress shirt combo, with some tight, ass-accenting pants. He couldn’t stop smirking as he gazed at himself in the mirror with that one. If Jack didn’t lose his mind over this, nothing would work.

Rhys changed back and went to the payment booth. Aurelia commented, observing him, “we’ll have to set you up with a proper groomer too, precious, and possibly a make-up artist. I’ll send one over. She’ll have you looking prettier than a diamond.” 

Rhys touched his hair. She had a fair point. He hadn’t gotten it properly done since before he’d come to Helios. He felt self conscious suddenly. He should’ve probably gotten his hair done sooner.

Aurelia put a gloved hand on her chin. “It will really put the finishing touches on this look... I don’t suppose you’d want to be a model here?”

“What-?” Rhys blurted, flushing. “I uh, wow, that’s quite the offer-”

“Consider it.”

“Uh, well-”

“No,” Fiona was back, carrying some sort of package and setting it on the table. “I don’t need some twink with a boner for Handsome Jack hanging around here.”

“Fiona!” Aurelia hissed. “Please!”

She laughed.

“Now I don’t say this often,” Aurelia was saying, shooting the model a subtle look that seemed stern. Fiona just put on an innocent smile. She turned back to Rhys. “But I would bet money on the seduction! You seem the perfect type.” 

Fiona could seem to stop herself, “Yeah, I bet Jack’s just waiting to throw himself on him.”

Rhys just puffed up. “And just you wait. It’s gonna be all over the news when I get him.” Honestly, dropping hints that no one was getting right now was a lot of fun. Rhys smirked. 

Fiona said, “I’ll be waiting...for centuries.”

Aurelia continued with a sigh. “Now, may I get a payment method, darling?”

Rhys squared his shoulders, feeling a bit intimidated, but he wasn’t going to lose composure now. “Oh, Jack will be paying.”

Aurelia stopped and looked up at him, eyes narrowed. Even Fiona shut up and turned towards him, brows raised.

Aurelia said, “you’re quite sure, darling? Forgive my skepticism, but I get that more often than I should from clients...”

“Oh this will be good,” Fiona whispered, grinning again.

But Rhys nodded. “You can confirm it if you want.”

“I shall like to do so. Give me one moment. Wouldn’t want to unnecessarily have to airlock anyone, would we?”

Rhys laughed. Aurelia disappeared into a side room. 

“Hey,” Fiona said, “if you’re lying, I’d suggest running right now, you might just make it!”

“I’m not lying, okay! Look I know I don’t look that great right now, but I’m literally in charge of Jack’s schedule. I’m new and that’s why I need better clothes!”

Fiona scrutinized him again. “Hmmmm. We’ll see.”

A few minutes later, Aurelia returned, looking apologetic. “I apologize for the doubts, Mr. Rhys. Everything appears to be in order.”

“See?” Rhys blurted at Fiona.

“Huh,” Fiona said. “I am almost astonished.” She drew closer to Aurelia, hovering with interest. “Not trying to replace me, are you, Aury?” She said, tone teasing.

“Of course not, dear,” Aurelia said, “just a moment.”

As Rhys was filling out some information form, he heard a kiss. He flicked a surprised glance up to see them quite close. Oh. Blushing a bit, he returned to the form. Well, that explained why Fiona acted like she owned this place, too.

Rhys arranged to have the clothing delivered. There would even be an associate, a stylist, and a make-up artist come to help him dress to his fullest potential. Nice and fancy, Rhys thought. He could get used to this, if he were honest. He was going to have to discuss a similar possible routine at Maliwan with Kat…

Oh.

Right. 

He’d almost forgotten he was angry at Katagawa, so caught up in the exhilaration of preparing for the party. On cue, another message came in from the man. Rhys muted Katagawa. There wouldn’t be any more routines with him. Rhys was hard pressed to imagine their relationship was salvageable at this point.

His heart sank.

He made his way home, filled with fear and excitement and dread. He briefly previewed the messenger and saw a few more messages from Katagawa. He ignored them, anxiety in his belly. It seemed rather odd that Katagawa had wanted to meet in person, earlier. In the end, the thought of reading the messages made him too anxious to do so.

Later, he tossed and turned all night, trying to get a few winks, to no avail. 

* * *

The gala was extravagant in every sense of the word. Rhys had been a little uncertain coming in, finding it to be decked out viciously boldly. There were Hyperion banners, glittering tableware, and brilliant yellow table clothes. Honestly, it was ugly, way too loud and obscene. Rhys understood why the decorations were not to Lady Hammerlock’s standards. Whoever designed this should’ve been fired. 

Not that it mattered to him. He had a more important thought in his mind: finding Jack. 

Rhys mingled at the punch table and kept his eyes peeled for his target. His Echo Eye was half scanning constantly, searching for his query. Rhys sipped more punch as Mrs. Devon whispered anxiously to someone about a rising body count in her department. Rhys didn’t have much interest in company politics, so he tuned it out.

He was so close to going home, but the idea didn’t give him the burst of joy it used to. It was colored and polluted with uncertainty and mistrust. He didn’t want to feel like this. He would much rather sink into joy, but it just wouldn’t come to him.

_Just do this and get out. Figure the rest out later._

Rhys already had an escape route in mind and had cleared his affairs back at the apartment. His suitcase of stuff was tucked into a vent in the docking bay, and he’d already singled out a ship for “maintenance quarantine” until he reached it. The instant Jack was dead, he would have to move fast before the whole station went on lockdown.

His Echo Eye alerted him to Jack. Remembering it could be a double, Rhys let the scanner run and followed the trail. About ten meters away, Jack argued with a red faced exec. Rhys’s highly advanced cybernetics told him what he needed. This was indeed the real Jack. It wouldn’t be that odd for Jack to send a double to test him.

He powered down the Echo Eye and lingered nearby, waiting to be noticed.

He had to figure out the best way to do this.

First, Jack had an entourage of protection Rhys hadn’t noticed at first glance. Apart from what would no doubt be a shield on this man, there would also be a group of soldiers that stood relatively near at all times. They stayed back enough to not be overtly obvious, but close enough to be protection. There was a second wave of soldiers at every exit, amongst which stood a big brute of a man who was half machine, half man. Rhys had never seen a party on Helios that had so many soldiers. And there were the turrets he’d detected in the ceiling, the loaders hunkered in the shadows. 

Jack was half ready to go to war on his own people if need be. What paranoia. It was well earned, he supposed, considering his own scheme.

Well, that all left really one option on how to go through with his plan and get away with his life. He had to get Jack out of the room without his protections. He’d expected this. He knew just how to do it.

His stomach was in knots, thinking of it.

Jack abruptly turned and left the other man, his face angry. “God these frickin’ losers!” He vented when he spotted Rhys and stomped over. “I always have to hold their little baby hands-” He stopped as he really looked at Rhys, up and down, and again. “Jeezus, kiddo,” he breathed, eyes glazing over.

Rhys chuckled. _Perfect_. “Figured you’d like it.” He flaunted it a bit, cocking a hip and baring his neck just slightly

Jack cleared his throat, blinking. “I was a little peeved by the tab. Not ‘cause I can’t afford it, but because I didn’t trust your tastes, but I guess it was surprisingly well-spent. No tie in your pants or anything! I suppose I can thank Aurelia for that.”

“Hey!” Rhys exclaimed. “That’s extremely fashionable.”

“What, the tie thing? Who told you so? Your mom?”

Rhys rolled his eyes. “Aren’t you a bit old to make mom jokes?”

“It was a serious query, princess.”

Rhys remembered he had to somehow get past this rift Jack had stupidly caused and disarm him. He made a show of looking down and letting out a huge sigh. He slowly brought his eyes back up. “Look...can we uh… Admit that we’ve started on the wrong foot? Or rather been on it this whole time.”

Jack squinted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’ve done absolutely nothing but fight since I came here, and I’m tired of it. And if I gotta work for you, can we just… Try to start over?”

Jack opened his mouth to respond. Then his eyes snapped over Rhys’s shoulder and he tensed. “God, I can’t believe it,” Jack hissed. “It’s that little cockroach!”

“What-?” 

Rhys turned around.

Three well-dressed people inserted themselves into the situation. Rhys’s body turned to stone when he recognized Senior Katagawa, his scribe, and--

Rhys felt like he had been punched in the chest. He sucked in a sharp breath when Kat’s eyes landed on him, harsh and severe. His lungs were stiff. It was a struggle to breathe at all, just then. 

In spite of literally everything, Rhys couldn’t help but look his...boyfriend up and down, really enjoying the choice in attire. Katagawa always looked impeccably hot in his sharp Maliwan-colored tie and black suit with smooth gloves. 

Fuck. Rhys hated everything.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, just wanted to thank you so much for all the comments. We're well over 10 chapters ahead of this and motivated by all your interest <3

At the sight of Katagawa Jr., Rhys’s hands became fists, and he had to bite down a sudden tirade of anger. He forced his hands to relax again. Katagawa had noticed the movement, eyes slitting. Rhys swallowed his pride and stepped back to let Jack have the show, not wanting to give himself away. Katagawa focused on Jack instead of him, thankfully.

He fidgeted awkwardly, looking amongst the Katagawas and Jack, biting his lip. The thought of Junior being there filled him with a nervous energy and anger. As if he didn’t have enough to worry about already! His heart beat faster in his chest, and it took all his willpower to hold down his emotions.

What if Kat gave him away? He was so close, so very close to getting Jack. He couldn’t afford a screw up now.

“It seems…” Senior’s lip curled, eyes narrowing, “...we owe you an apology, Jack.” He looked like he was eating gravel as he said it, and Rhys knew it took every ounce of the man's self restraint to say those words. Rhys was concerned the elder Katagawa might have an aneurysm in the process.

“I was right, wasn’t I?” Jack purred smugly, obviously enjoying this. He folded his arms and hummed. “Right,  _ Junior _ ? You little bitch.”

The flash of anger on Kat's face was obvious for a brief second, but it was sealed away quickly, forced behind a laid back grin. “It was all a  _ misunderstanding _ ,” Katagawa grinned smoothly. “I  _ apologize _ .” Somehow, the apology sounded like a threat to Rhys. He realized that was definitely one of his smiles that promised death.

“This is amazing.” Jack however, soaked it in. He rocked on the balls of his feet like an excited child. Jack always did seem to have an endless supply of manic energy. “I love this! Just to be clear! No sarcasm!”

Rhys’s breath caught at the look on Senior’s face. It was the complete opposite to Kat’s, more open in his fury, where Kat’s was hidden. Still, his words did not match the fury in his expression, though his tone was restrained again. “Know that my son will face the consequences of his actions.”

Katagawa’s eyes flickered to Rhys. Rhys looked away, feeling weird and exposed, like being caught naked in one of those weird naked dreams. Why was he thinking this?

Jack laughed, harsh. “What, with upgrades to his trust fund orgy yacht? Gimme a break. You’d sooner reprimand a dead skag. Or is it gonna be more  _ ‘talks’," _ he air-quoted at the word.

“You’re just jealous,” Katagawa Junior smirked harder, somehow. “You had to get old before you got your money. It must  _ sting _ !”

“Yeah? Petty insults? How about something real: next time you threaten Hyperion, I ain’t gonna let it slide again, Kitty Kat. You really should be thanking me for my generosity.”

“You’re despicable,” Senior growled, teeth baring. 

“Y’all wronged me. Get it? I ain’t the one who pulled shit!”

Rhys found himself almost agreeing with Jack and immediately flinched, training his gaze to the floor.

“Perhaps,” Senior said, “but you have no honor. And you’re just, in general-” he paused and looked Jack up and down, “an  _ asshole _ , as the young people say… I am leaving. You are spared, for the time being.” Senior turned and swept away. Katagawa followed more slowly. Rhys let out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding.

“Lunatics,” Jack muttered.

Rhys received a message on his HUD and instantly felt his chest tighten with a turmoil of emotions. Betrayal, anger, guilt-- they swam around inside his head leaving his heart feeling heavy. He should have felt joy.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Neutral bathroom 5 in three mins, please. Do not ignore me, or I blow your cover

Rhys grimaced. Threats? Really?.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: Fine

Rhys had unmuted Katagawa before heading to the gala, but he still hadn’t checked the old messages. He decided to do that now, since the chat was open. They were plans for meeting at the gala. Rhys could’ve smacked himself. If he’d just read these, he wouldn’t have been caught off guard just now!

Rhys sighed internally and turned to Jack. “I gotta use the restroom.”

Jack made a noncommittal noise.

Rhys hurried to the neutral bathroom, heart pounding. He really didn’t want to do this, but he didn’t have much choice. He was going to have to stop his boyfriend from doing something stupid, he was sure. He slid through the door and spotted Katagawa in an instant. He glared.

Katagawa slipped over swiftly past Rhys and locked the door. They were close now. Rhys held his breath as they came face-to-face. Katagawa leaned in, as if to kiss--

Rhys dodged.

“In the bathroom!? Are you serious!?” Rhys growled. “How  _ romantic _ . This is not the place for a reunion kiss!”

Katagawa chortled. “I’ve had some fun in bathrooms before. Don’t underestimate them.”

“Uck!” How was Rhys into this man? A mystery really. Rhys shook his head. He just glared at Kat, not sure how to begin voicing his complaints.

“What are you wearing?” Katagawa said first.

Rhys paused. What? “Clothes,” he bit back.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’m at a gala, okay? I needed to look the part.”

“The part of a whor--?” 

The resounding crack of Rhys’s hand meeting Katagawa’s cheek echoed through the bathroom, startling them both. Rhys hadn’t been aware he smacked him until it happened, as the heavy rage roared through him. After so long apart he wasn't going to stand there while Katagawa insulted him. "Do  _ not _ finish that sentence," Rhys snapped, finger raised, shaking.

“What the fuck, Rhys?!” Katagawa yelled, rubbing his cheek, wincing. “Why would you do that?”

“You threatened me, insulted me, and worst of all, lied! You deserve more than a smack!”

Katagawa balled his fists in the air but stopped. He took a deep breath and let it out in a slow hiss. “Rhys, I’m  _ here  _ for  _ you _ , okay? You can come home now. I can get you out.”

Rhys scowled. “ _What_!? I’m literally about to do this thing! The gala is the _end_ of Jack. And you want to _stop_ it?!” Rhys exploded. “In case you didn’t hear me the first time, you fucking _lied_ to me about the fucking attacks! You used me to get ahead! I’m not just going to go home with you after that! I’m not a fucking tool for you to use as you please! I am your _boyfriend --barely_!”

Kat leaned against the door, sighing, pursing his lips. “Of course it came to this,” he muttered. “Look, I didn’t  _ use  _ you, Rhys. I lied, sure, but I did it to  _ motivate  _ you. I wasn’t using this to get  _ myself  _ ahead. I was using it to get  _ you  _ ahead. I wanted to help you get into the Maliwan family!”

Rhys blinked a few times. Was...he being honest? Still… “You destroyed company resources just to  _ motivate  _ me!?” Rhys asked in disbelief. “You pretended to be hurt to  _ motivate  _ me?!”

“Most of the losses in the information were falsified!” Katagawa argued. He pulled away from the door and stepped forward, wringing his hands. “I am sorry I angered you, Rhys! But after that crash, you just seemed so  _ soft _ . Based on your memories-- you told me you were an assassin! I motivated you because I wanted you to be able to do this job! I was going to tell you after it was all done, I swear.” His eyes shined, pleading.

Rhys gritted his teeth. “You think that makes it better!?”

“Jack needs to die. Even you cannot deny that. The only reason Hyperion outranks us is because he has everyone in line under his iron fist. And when he dies, that power vacuum destroys this shit company and then Maliwan is number one as we deserve! And you and I will run things together. No one could stop us!”

Rhys hated how some part of his heart thawed at the promise, a bit of warmth blossoming in his chest. He fought the feeling. He also hated how it made a sort of sense. He was still so angry, though. He folded his arms and scowled harder. “We could’ve… I don’t know. Trained or something! You didn’t have to lie.” He swallowed, not sure why there was a lump in his throat. 

His shoulders slumped and he lowered his head, exhaustion creeping in. 

Deep down...he believed Kat. Everything they’d shared… Katagawa wouldn’t just throw him away. Perhaps Kat had been selfish to not be open with his intentions, but he clearly meant to let Rhys have his due all along-- the rewards for bringing down Hyperion.

Rhys wanted them so much. He wanted Katagawa.

Kat stepped closer and brushed his cheek. Rhys deflated completely. He melted into the touch he’d missed for so long. There was a pause as he breathed in Kat’s scent, and a part of him surrendered and leaned his face into Katagawa’s shoulder. Kat stiffened, but didn’t stop him.

Even now, he didn’t seem to enjoy the closeness outside of sex. Rhys exhaled, disappointment clawing at his chest. But Katagawa was  _ letting  _ him. He knew that’s just how Katagawa was. He always had issues with closeness. Rhys had never held it against him. Never intentionally, anyway.

“I love you, Rhys,” Katagawa breathed.

Rhys’s eyes fluttered open, breath leaving him, heart racing suddenly. “Kat…” Katagawa didn’t say it often, but when he did… “I love you too…”

Kat muttered, “please...come home, Rhys. Please. I miss you so much. It’s not worth this anymore. You’re more important to me than this mission. Jack will get what he deserves in time.”

“ _ No _ ,” Rhys hissed, jerking back with a fresh wave of irritation. Katagawa looked surprised. “Just give me tonight, and he will be dead.”

“Rhys-” Katagawa groaned into his gloved hands. “God, I have such a bad feeling that I can’t shake!”

“You don’t trust me, do you!?”

“Of course I do!”

“Just….a few hours, Kat, and he’s gone, okay! I put too much time and planning and emotional pain into this to just give up and go home. I’ve been here for months, so fucking stressed, and I finally have an in! You should’ve asked a couple weeks ago, and I would’ve agreed! I’m not leaving now, not when I’m this far ahead. If you don’t like it, then you can get your ass out!”

Katagawa’s eyes slitted. He looked pissed. After a minute, he seemed to force it down. “Fine. What exactly is your plan?”

“I’m going to poison him. But first I have to get him out of the room, away from his guards, and I already know how.”

“And then what?”

“And then - I get my things and flee!”

Katagawa sighed again, shoulders slumping. “Just...fine! You’d better  _ survive  _ this, Rhys. You’d better come home.”

“I will. Stop worrying so much.”

Katagawa opened his mouth to reply, but Rhys shoved past him, stomping out of the bathroom, too angry again to bid the man farewell. He’d get over this, but he just wanted to get the mission done. He understood where Kat was coming from, but he didn’t want to process that right now. He deserved to have his anger at how Kat had handled all of this.

He wished Kat would just trust him!

Rhys pushed through the crowd of people until he found Jack once again. He snatched his own champagne from a tray being offered to Jack, needing the comfort. He mimicked Jack who was knocking back the flute before handing it off to the next waiter who walked by. When he met Jack’s eyes, Jack was staring at him warily.

“Are we going to have a repeat of the other night, kiddo?” Jack sounded surprisingly uncomfortable.

Rhys laughed. “ _ Ha ha _ , no. That was because I was upset. Tonight is a celebration all about you.” Shoving his doubts aside, Rhys saddled up to Jack under the guise of fixing his lapels. “So, what we talked about before. About starting over after being on the wrong foot?” 

Their gazes glued together.

“Just what sort of ‘starting over’ do you mean?”

Rhys sucked in a breath, knowing he had to tread carefully. He pressed closer to Jack, letting their thighs touch. “Whatever you want it to mean,” he whispered.

Jack’s eyes narrowed, and he seemed to search Rhys’s expression. “You’re lucky I’m in need of arm candy,” Jack finally said as he held his arm out for Rhys.

Rhys plastered on the best fake smile he could muster and took Jack’s arm, moving in close as Jack led him around.

It was surprisingly easy, uncomfortably so, to be led around by Jack. Now that they weren’t at each other’s throats, the conversation went smoothly. Mostly because Jack was allowed to ramble on about absolutely nothing, Rhys told himself. Jack introduced him to every person they ran into and then immediately talked behind their backs as soon as they turned away, telling Rhys stories of some random time they fucked something up. 

Some stories were so outrageous, he knew Jack had certainly made them up on the spot. 

And most surprising --and worrisome-- of all, Jack genuinely seemed to be showing Rhys off like he was actually something to be coveted. While Katagawa was into Rhys desperately, so much so it made Rhys hard often just thinking about it, he’d never really felt like this. High off some sort of weird power play.

_ Ugh, I’m terrible, _ Rhys thought.  _ Come on, Rhys, just get this over with. _

By the time he and Jack were sitting down in a private booth, because of course Jack had his own, Rhys’s jaw actually hurt from laughing, and that was a dangerous thing. He was getting too comfortable.

_ Focus, Rhys. _

Maybe Rhys should’ve gone home with Kat.

“So what happened to your arm?” Jack asked conversationally.

“What do you mean?”

Jack pointed at his cybernetic. “It used to be yellow, ya know.”

Rhys looked down at the silver arm before glancing up at Jack, eyebrow raised. “Uh...sure. I probably got tired of such an ugly color.”

Jack frowned. 

“Don’t give me that look.” 

Rhys leaned closer to Jack as the man ordered them more drinks and food. When the waiter was gone, Rhys dropped his flesh hand to Jack’s thigh and felt the man immediately tense up. He could feel the layer of muscle under his hand and he couldn’t help himself from squeezing.

“Relax, Jack...I’m sorry about before, when I yelled at you. I was...I don’t know why, but my headspace has been so weird lately. I wanna make it up to you.” His hand slid higher, nails digging in lightly before Jack’s hand caught his wrist. 

Jack’s mouth twisted down. “Nu uh, as fun as this is, princess, what about that  _ boyfriend _ , huh?” Rhys could hear the sarcasm dripping in his tone. It occurred to him… Was Jack…  _ jealous _ ? All along?

Rhys put on his best pout, shifting closer until their thighs brushed. He could feel the heat radiating off Jack. “Do you see him here with me?” Rhys dropped his head onto Jack’s shoulder, sighing softly. It felt way too good. He was also plain exhausted from the lack of sleep. He could’ve dozed, if Jack weren’t so tense. And if he didn’t need to assassinate him. Why was he relaxing?

Unfortunately, this tension reminded him of Katagawa. Kat hated to cuddle. Hopefully it wasn’t for the same reasons with Jack. That’d make Rhys’s seduction plan more complicated. Though judging from how close Jack had gotten to him before, he kind of doubted it. 

“And where did this change of mind come from?” Jack’s eyes narrowed, and Rhys realized this was going to be harder than he thought. Jack was a very suspicious man after all. If he didn’t do something drastic soon, this was going to devolve into a fight.

Rhys said quietly, “do you think I bought these clothes for just anyone?”

“ _ I _ bought you those clothes, princess.”

“Yeah, but I picked them out for you. C’mon Jack, can’t we just have one night where we forget about the bullshit? I know you feel… whatever this is between us.” Rhys gestured between them with his cybernetic hand. His flesh hand was still on Jack’s thigh despite the deathgrip on his wrist. “I kept denying it to myself, but you saw how drunk me was! That was what I was hiding and burying under stupid pride, and I’m tired of keeping up this charade. I just want...you.”

Rhys hated how true those words felt leaving his mouth.

Jack finally yanked Rhys’s hand off his thigh and shoved Rhys away. Jack leaned on the table of the booth, not looking at Rhys. “I can’t keep friggin’ doing this, Rhys. You should probably get out of here now before we both regret tonight.”

Rhys wasn’t sure if that was a threat, or just a semi-friendly-ish warning. Jack didn’t sound angry, just tired.

Rhys mentally cursed. This clearly wasn’t working--and part of him took offense to that-- so he would just have to try harder. A smirk tugged at his lips when he got an idea, it was risky, but it was his best plan of action. And, if he wasn’t mistaken, he noticed a bit of a crack in Jack’s defenses. Maybe he was putting a dent in the man’s will.

The waiter came back, delivering their drinks and the food before disappearing again.

Rhys took his chance. 

He slipped into Jack’s lap, straddling the startled man and pulling Jack’s arms around his body.

“What the fuck, Rhys!” Jack barked out, starting to shift.

“I’m serious, Jack.” He leaned in close, pushing Jack’s hands down onto his ass, making Jack forget his plan of moving. He realized with smug satisfaction, Jack’s eyes had fallen to his lips. He leaned into Jack’s ear. “Admit it, you wanted to fuck me the  _ second  _ you saw me....”

Jack seemed to fight with himself for a few moments, jaw hanging partially open. Rhys revelled in the idea that  _ he _ had made  _ Handsome Jack _ speechless. The idea shouldn’t have excited him as much as it did. 

“I...missed you, Jack.” Rhys still didn’t buy Jack’s story of knowing him, but the words did wonders. “Please.”

Jack sighed, the last of his defenses falling. He chuckled, his tension melting away. Rhys could practically feel his body relaxing beneath him. Jack’s hands squeezed at Rhys’s ass. Rhys wished that it didn’t feel good, that he didn't want to know what those large hands would feel like on his bare skin. “You think I wanted to fuck you, huh... Oh  _ kitten _ , you don’t know the half of it.”

Rhys shivered, hating how a simple word could send a jolt of arousal straight through him. He needed to concentrate. Jack was the one who needed to be seduced, not him. He had to get Jack alone.

Then again, there was no reason he couldn’t enjoy it…  _ right _ ?

Was Katagawa still lingering, seeing this?

Rhys smiled. “Truth is, I  _ wanted  _ to let you fuck me against that window,” Rhys purred into Jack’s ear, nibbling at the lobe as he pressed himself flush against Jack’s chest. “I wanted it so badly that I freaked out, but now...now I’m not freaking out. Now I can admit it.” _ And it wasn’t a lie _ . It was oddly nice to admit the truth of his dumb body. But that was just a bonus to making his lie more authentic, he told himself. His hands slid down Jack’s chest between them as he arched himself against Jack,  _ and it felt quite natural _ . “Or how about I jerk you off right here, let  _ everyone  _ see.”

Rhys’s hands slid back up to Jack’s shoulders, holding on for leverage. The tip of Rhys’s tongue teased up the shell of Jack’s ear as he tested his hold over Jack with a roll of his hips, grinding slowly down into the man’s lap.

Jack groaned, eyes blowing wide. “You’re killin’ me here, kitten.”

If only Jack knew...

“That’s the idea,” Rhys teased, a smirk tugging at his lips at his own dark inside joke. Now he was getting somewhere, and  _ gods  _ did those hands feel so nice kneading his ass.

Jack had to ruin it with a growl of, “I swear if you are playing m--”

Rhys didn’t even let him finish, interrupting him with a kiss. He guided Jack into it, before the brief thought that Katagawa was possibly still lingering, seeing this, flitted through his mind again. His first emotion was vengeful amusement. Was it terrible he kind of wanted that? It would really make up for...well,  _ everything  _ Kat had done, but especially that one phone call where Katagawa hadn’t been alone on the other end... Even more so with how weird Kat had gotten about his attire today. It seemed a bit of a double standard, that Kat could fuck any whore he wanted, and then turn around and accuse Rhys of--

Jack’s tongue in his mouth cut off his thoughts, quickly dominating the kiss. Jack kissed him until he couldn’t breathe and they had to break, panting.

_ Let Kat watch, _ Rhys thought to himself as he trailed his lips down Jack’s jaw to the man’s neck. The thought should not have excited him so. He could feel his own arousal stirring. It was probably going too far now, but fuck it, he did not want to stop.

He slipped a hand down over Jack’s chest again, dipping it down between their bodies and over Jack’s stomach before lifting his hips to make room. His fingers danced over Jack’s groin. He squeezed through Jack’s pants, feeling the hard line of Jack’s cock throb beneath his fingers. 

He felt big. 

Rhys shuddered with desire, unable to stop himself from wondering how it would feel stretching him open. While he wasn’t as much of a size queen as Katagawa, he found himself wanting it  _ so  _ badly. He swallowed back the knot in his throat and nipped at Jack’s neck as the man shuddered beneath him.

The gala melted away around them as Rhys continued to feel Jack up, rubbing the heel of his palm up Jack’s erection, ripping a loud moan from the man’s lips. Those large hands slipped down the backs of his thighs, but his nails dragged back up the insides of them. Rhys let out a muffled moan against Jack’s neck, eyes falling shut. A jolt of arousal rushed to his cock.

Fuck, he was hard.

The thought that Katagawa was watching just spurred him on more. His hands flew to Jack’s belt, clumsily trying to yank it open before Jack stopped him with a breathless laugh.

“Whoa there, Rhysie… How about we get out of here first?” Jack asked, thumbs digging into Rhys’s flesh. “Thanks for making me so frickin’ horny here at this dumb party,  _ kitten _ .”

Rhys snorted, cheeks burning. The pet name had made his cock jump.  _ Traitor.  _ “Trust me, this’ll be better than the party,” he purred in Jack’s ear, rolling his hips back down onto Jack’s lap. He told himself it was just further convincing, just a ploy to further trap Jack, but he didn’t know who he was trying to fool anymore.

Was he really going to do this? Trying to picture himself ending this once and for all made his stomach churn itself into knots, sending acid into his throat. He choked and swallowed. “Mmrph…’scuse me.”

Rhys’s hand fiddled with the small covered syringe in his inside, hidden pocket, desperately trying to remind himself of what he needed to do. He got up, letting Jack out of the booth. They both paused to re-adjust themselves. Jack began leading him towards the doors. Rhys clung to the man’s side. Rhys had never seen a man power walk with so much speed and purpose before, and he kept up eagerly.

Rhys felt a weird sensation, like he was being watched. He glanced behind him and flinched. He saw Katagawa, who was indeed watching from a nearby crowd, expression dark. Rhys sighed and looked back ahead. Fuck his life. As if Katagawa had a right to judge. He glared at the walls as they exited into the quieter hallway, let through by silent guards.

There was a beep on his Echo Eye.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Made your point, asshole?


	10. Chapter 10

It took Rhys too long to process that he was in Jack’s penthouse now. Jack had granted him access with a quick punch of a code. Rhys hoped he wouldn’t need that to leave, but he figured he could hack though, if necessary.

No longer stuck to Jack, he gaped around, wide-eyed. 

“You look like you’ve never seen it before,” Jack muttered, frowning. 

Jack’s penthouse was very different from Katagawa’s. No pillow piles, rainbows of color, or alcohol beakers on every surface. No soft blue-tinted lighting or swords hanging on the walls. It was, however, an oddly tidy space with all sorts of strange objects on display here and there. Rhys could make out pieces of tech, figurines, vases, molds, and a lot of stuff he couldn’t identify. The rugs, curtains, and furniture were mixed colors of gold, black, and white. Everything was quite eye-catching in ways different to Katagawa’s home, if a bit ugly in that Handsome-Jack-and-loud-colors sort of way… A way that was growing on Rhys, he realized. There was a comfortable sitting area in this room too.

“I haven’t,” Rhys returned, fighting a rearing frustration that seemed to come from nowhere.

“ _ Uh huh _ .”

However, Jack didn’t seem to dwell. His hand gripped Rhys’s vest and tugged. Rhys followed. 

Jack led Rhys down a hall and into the huge master bedroom. The first thing to catch Rhys’s attention was the super-soft-looking bed donned with Hyperion sheets. Rhys brushed his fingers on the silky sheets, heart beating faster. A sudden shove sent Rhys careening face-first into the bed. There was a scent in them that was distinctively  _ Jack.  _ Rhys gasped in surprise and flipped over, watching Jack laugh at him. 

“Shut up!” Rhys complained, sitting up. “You didn’t-”

Jack swept in and kissed him, shutting  _ him _ up. Jack didn’t take it very far before pulling back and looking him in the eye. Jack sighed, something struggling in his gaze. “I have to warn you princess, once you’ve had this ride, you won’t wanna go back. You sure you’re good with...ya know. All of  _ this _ ?”

Rhys paused. Was it too late to just flee Helios as fast as possible, leaving both of the complicated men of his life behind? Complicated sure was too nice of a word.

He had to do this. 

Rhys gnawed his lip before nodding. “Yes.”

“No... _ relationship issues _ , huh?” Jack queried, visibly uncomfortable.

“None,” Rhys lied, forcing himself to sound certain.

Jack reached for Rhys's vest, presumably to undo it.

“Wait-wait,” Rhys said, batting his hands back. “Not the vest just yet... I-I need a bit more workin’ up.” Rhys hoped Jack didn’t find it an odd request.

“Whatever,” Jack said and shrugged off his coat, movements rushed. He undid his button up and yanked off his sweater. Why did he wear so many-? 

Rhys almost lost his brain. Jack was suddenly very half-naked before him, and Rhys had never had that pleasure before. That he knew of. Ugh. Rhys could only stare, because this was not fair at all! Jack’s skin was scarred in places, dusted with unexpectedly fine but defined hairs. His body was the ideal mix of muscle and pudge.

Okay. Rhys loved Katagawa, but he also had a  _ type _ . 

Rhys mentally shook himself from his ogling and slid a hand into his pocket casually. He gripped the syringe, ready to flick the cap off. It was now or never. All he had to do was make one single swift movement, and he was free. Free to escape back to Katagawa, and go back to Maliwan. 

His stomach rolled violently.

Jack moved in closer. His hands gripped Rhys’s groin. Rhys huffed out a sharp breath at the pressure on….yep that was definitely an erection. He was hard again. For fuck’s sake. This was not at all how he’d pictured this three days ago!

"Glad to see my chest is enough to get you hard again," Jack teased.

_ Come on, Rhys. Get it together! _

“You gonna help here,  _ sweetiepie _ ?” Jack asked, brow raised. He somehow sounded mocking with that nickname. His hands went to Rhys’s hips, thumbs tracing the jut of the bones above the seams of his thighs. “Or you just a straight up pillow princess now?”

It felt good.

And Rhys's headspace was weird, a mix of anxiety and desire and guilt. His hands got shaky, breathing faster, and  _ fuck-  _ Did this have to happen  _ right now _ ? He couldn’t just kill a man this far into a seduction, could he?! They were so close to fucking each other... This was...pretty screwed up, considering killing Jack like this.

Why did he have to set the assassination up this way?

He was so  _ hard _ now. It would be doubly weird if he killed Jack. And if he did, he’d never know what all this meant, and-

Jack scooted Rhys to the edge of the bed and thumbed down his pants, exposing Rhys's hard-on. Rhys’s hands fell onto Jack’s bare shoulders and gripped as if clinging to a lifeline. He loved the feeling of Jack's skin under his hands. He shuddered with anticipation, mouthing  _ come on. _

Jack moved surprisingly fast, bending over. Rhys may have seen stars when the hot, wet mouth sucked around his cock.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, gazing down at the line of Jack's perfect shoulders and back. His fingers tightened their hold 

They were definitely fucking now. He could do the deed after this. May as well really get that one up on Katagawa. 

Rhys worked on his vest, stripping it and carefully dumping it off the side of the bed, making a mental note of where it was. He was gentle on his dress shirt despite the pleasure flooding his body, making it difficult to coordinate his movements. He got that off too. Jack's eyes flicked up to his exposed body, darkening. He reached for Jack’s hair unthinkingly--

Jack pulled off of him.

“Jaack-” Rhys whined, realising he probably screwed up. Katagawa hated when he tried to touch his hair. Jack was probably similar in that regar--

“You  _ are  _ him!” Jack exclaimed, eyes wide. Rhys was confused for a minute. Jack gestured, still openly shocked. “The tattoos! I saw the tips but these are exactly them!" He looked and sounded excited, like a happy dog, all but vibrating.

Rhys glanced at his tattoos. "You recognize them?” He felt wary. Could this be another ploy to get his guard down? Was he the one who got seduced--

"Yeah." Jack smiled and said, "you have that hexagon with the lines and circles inside it on your left shoulder, yeah?" He sounded confident and serious.

Rhys was off balance again, mouth suddenly dry. “How did-?” 

Jack turned around, and on his right shoulder, was the exact same tattoo.

All this time, some part of Rhys had believed Jack was just crazy, but there was no way he could keep believing it. Jack hadn't been lying, or putting any of that anger on?  _ Shit _ . They must’ve meant something to each other.  _ What _ , he had no idea. But matching tattoos wasn’t something anyone did lightly…right?

How had he wound up on that crashed ship? How hadn't Jack known? How hadn't Kat? He was going to have to find out more.

He wouldn’t if Jack was dead.

He groaned, eyes shutting.  _ Fuck my life. How will I ever explain this to Kat? _

Jack laughed in a wild, euphoric way. “Rhysie… What  _ happened  _ to you?”

“Can we talk about this after!” Rhys pleaded. The stress was too much. He wasn’t going to be enjoying anything if he was allowed to think any longer. He raised his voice. "If I wait any longer I'm gonna go soft and then I'm leaving!" 

“Fair enough.”

Rhys grabbed Jack's elbow and pulled Jack down into a kiss before he could talk anymore. Jack eagerly returned it, sliding closer. Rhys parted his legs, their erections touching. Jack’s tongue swiped along Rhys’s lower lip, teasing and parting Rhys's lips. He sank his tongue into Rhys’s mouth. Jack groaned into the kiss, greedily exploring Rhys’s mouth. He started grinding against him. 

The rough material of Jack’s pants against Rhys’s bare skin drew out an involuntary moan. It sort of hurt but also felt good. Rhys enjoyed the roughness. He arched up against Jack. His hands slipped around Jack’s body, traveling up his back, fingertips mapping out every scar. He wanted to know them well. 

Jack pulled him closer as if he couldn’t get enough of the feeling, half supporting Rhys’s weight at this angle. The damp press of their skin left Rhys dizzy with desire. He wiggled as close as he possibly could while still maintaining their delicious, increasing friction.

He melted up against Jack, thoughts flowing away like rain drops into a river. He craved the touch, the warmth, the closeness. He felt starved and greedy for the attention, denied this contact for so long. Jack broke the kiss, lips traveling down over Rhys’s jaw to his neck. He bit down, causing Rhys to gasp out. “ _ Jack _ !”

Jack sucked on the bite, leaving his mark before soothing it with a flick of his tongue. Rhys knew he should have been more upset about the hickey, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Even Katagawa wasn’t this touchy in a fuck, and Rhys couldn’t get enough. 

Rhys’s heart ached, a surge of guilt, souring his gut, for just a moment. He had to stop thinking.

Rhys groaned again. “Jack,  _ please _ .”

“That’s it, kitten, say my name,” Jack purred, nipping at Rhys’ neck again. “Beg.”

Rhys kicked off his shoes and wiggled his pants the rest of the way off. He flipped their positions, catching Jack off guard, straddling Jack’s lap on the bed. Jack opened his mouth, but the remark died on his tongue when Rhys ground himself down onto Jack’s clothed arousal, sliding his hands down over Jack’s stomach. He leaned down and kissed a trail down the man’s torso. 

He shifted off Jack and knelt between his legs. His fingers made short work of Jack’s pants. He nuzzled into Jack’s stomach, nipping at the sensitive skin beneath the man’s naval and earning a loud groan as a reward. 

Rhys moved off the bed to drag Jack’s pants fully off, tossing them aside before he settled back between Jack’s legs. With a grin, he dragged his hands down Jack’s thighs, massaging and feeling their perfect muscle profile, unable to stop himself from staring at Jack’s dick. It was impressive. Unbidden, the thought entered his mind,  _ it’s larger than Katagawa’s.  _

He wanted to punch himself quite suddenly.  _ What is wrong with me? Why would I compare to my actual boyfriend!? Or whatever he is, and whatever is going on, and-- _

“Rhysie? You okay?”

Rhys jerked out of his thoughts. “S-sorry…” 

Jack sighed, as if put upon. “I know my dick is stunning, but  _ come on _ .” 

Rhys realized he must look weird, just staring at Jack’s cock while lost in dramatic thought. Had it shown on his face? He forced himself to laugh, made it sound easy. “No underwear, huh?”

“Underwear’s optional, baby,” Jack replied, grinning. He pushed himself up on his elbows. There was an uncertainty in his eyes, one brow raised.

“True.” Rhys let the suspicious moment pass. He smirked confidently and stood up to steal another kiss. He dropped his hand to Jack’s dick, enjoying the weight of it. He pulled away, tugging Jack’s lip between his teeth before he lowered himself once more between Jack’s legs.

He got in close and nuzzled the length, smirking as Jack’s breath hitched and his cock throbbed in Rhys’s hand. His tongue flattened against the shaft, licking up Jack’s cock. He looked up, eyeing Jack through heavy lashes. Jack was watching him intensely. 

Rhys didn’t realize just how  _ badly  _ he’d been wanting to try this.

Rhys planted a kiss on the shaft, and Jack’s pupils dilated, body shuddering above him.

A low groan escaped Jack’s lips, fingers slipping into Rhys’s hair. The unadulterated look of desire on his face had Rhys’s cock throbbing with need. Rhys mouthed at Jack’s shaft, sucking a trail down a large vein before he licked back up, pausing to suck on the foreskin, teasing it with the tip of his tongue.

Jack’s fingers tightened in his hair, a silent demand for more. Rhys continued to tease. 

He’d pissed Jack off enough since he’d started his job as Jack’s scheduler. He wondered just how much it would take to get Jack to fuck the life out of him. After everything that’d happened lately, he really needed it. It was the only thing that might make him properly forget all his problems for a while, and Rhys wanted some bruises for his efforts. Rhys had a feeling Jack could give him what he needed. He was well aware of Jack’s temper and ability to manhandle him.

His cock twitched at the thought.

Precum leaked from the angry red tip of Jack’s dick. Rhys drew back the foreskin with a stroke of his hand. He licked the pale drop, tongue chasing it back to the source, teasing the slit, humming. And somewhere in the back of his mind this felt...  _ familiar _ .

Maybe there was something to that feeling.

“Fuck, take it,” Jack ordered roughly, but Rhys heard the waver in his voice.

Smirking to himself, Rhys sucked lightly on the tip, tongue swirling lavishly over the sensitive flesh before he pulled back, tugging lightly on the foreskin. “Manners, Jack,” he chastised, a weird laugh threatening to escape his chest. He wanted Jack to snap, wanted the man to take what he wanted and wreck him, make him forget about everything and drown him in pleasure. And with every second, Rhys was growing high off the darkening he saw in the Hyperion king’s face.

Jack growled. “Rhysie, baby, if you don’t suck my—”

“You’ll  _ what _ , Jack?” Rhys grinned. “Just lay there like a lazy corpse? Who’s the pillow princess now?”

Jack snapped, yanking Rhys’s hair, hard, forcing him to gasp in pain...pain that sparked a burst of pleasure straight to Rhys’s dick. Rhys’s mouth dropped open on a moan and Jack took the opportunity to push himself in. The reddened head of his cock slipped past kiss-abused lips, and Rhys looked up, watching Jack’s face.

Rhys kept his tongue flat up against Jack’s length. Jack started thrusting upward-- a quick, shallow pace. Rhys’s eyes fell shut, and he hummed around Jack’s girth. He bobbed his head, encouraging Jack to go deeper.

Jack took the hint. His head dropped back, grunting Rhys’s name as his hips picked up the pace, pushing deeper with each thrust, and Rhys had to fight back his gag reflex, keeping his throat as relaxed as possible. Luckily, he wasn’t too out of practice.

He ran his hands up Jack’s thighs, kneading them beneath his palms, spilling out a lewd sound around Jack’s dick. Jack slid into his throat, deeper now, muscles locking in place. “Look at me,” Jack breathed.

Rhys opened his eyes, feeling tears slipping free as he did. He met the lust filled gaze on him. Jack swore softly. Rhys swallowed around Jack’s cock, drawing a similarly unadulterated sound from Jack

Jack pulled Rhys’s head back off his cock as he cursed-- loudly now. A string of saliva followed, absolutely filthy. Rhys watched, mesmerized as Jack’s dick fell back heavily onto his stomach, twitching in time with his heart rate. Jack hadn’t let go. Rhys kept his tongue hanging out, looking up at Jack through half-lidded eyes.

“Christ, Rhysie, that mouth will be the death of me,” Jack stated, and Rhys realised he was trying to get himself back under control, chest rising and falling roughly.

“Fuck me, Jack,” Rhys whined, pleased with himself when Jack’s dick twitched again. “Please, I need to feel you inside of me.”

“Get on your back, then,” Jack said, loosening his grip on Rhys’s hair.

Rhys obeyed and dropped onto his back on the irritatingly soft bed. Jack got up to rifle through a bedside table. Rhys’s hand went to his own cock, giving it a firm stroke, and he shivered. He was so damned aroused from their activities, that he was sensitive to his own hand. Jack returned with a bottle of lube and a condom as he crawled over Rhys.

“Bring people here often?” Rhys teased, watching Jack roll on the condom with practiced ease.

“Not since--no, forget it. Not important.” Jack leaned down, catching Rhys’s lips again in a heated kiss.

_ Not since what?  _ Rhys supposed Jack was right--it didn’t matter. But he couldn’t help but wonder how long Jack had gone without this too. How long ago did they know each other? Rhys had been with- He shook himself from the thoughts, realizing he was losing his focus again. It wasn’t that he wasn’t enjoying this thoroughly, his brain just felt too overstuffed with questions and not enough answers.

Jack licked his port. Rhys yelped, electricity shooting down his spine. “Holy shit!” Normally, someone licking his head or face would’ve made him want to punch them, but he’d never felt anything like  _ that  _ before. There’d been the linked port sex with Kat, but that was entirely diff-

Rhys felt the surge of unwanted guilt again. Why was he always torn on everything? Why couldn’t he just do his fucking job instead of being weak? Or if he had to be weak, why couldn’t he just fully commit to fucking up his own life even more?

“You’re making a face again, pumpkin,” Jack said. “Not into that?”

“Jack, fuck, please! Just hurry up! Fuck my brains out!”

“That’s an image,” Jack snorted. He dolloped some lube on his fingers, and lowered it to Rhys’s entrance. However, he hesitated. “You sure--”

“ _ Yes _ !” Rhys all but yelled.

Jack pressed against his rim, spreading the lube. A single finger sank in.

“ _ Yes _ ,” Rhys repeated softly, concentrating on the feeling, chest deflating on a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He relaxed his muscles with practiced ease. “More, please.” Jack put in the second finger. With the size of his large hands, it was quite a stretch. 

“You ready, baby?” Jack asked.

Rhys nodded. “Since yesterday.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to notice.” Jack retreated his hand quickly, having slicked the way. 

He spread lube over his cock and pushed Rhys’s thighs open. Jack lined up, and Rhys spread himself even wider in invitation, grabbing his own knees to keep his legs from trembling.

Jack pulled his hips up and gave Rhys his dick, steadily.

Rhys threw his head back at the stretch, more than with-- “Fuck-” Rhys felt a burst of emotions for the umpteenth time, the ones that made him explode in frustration. “Come the fuck on, you slow, old man!” He yelled past the pain. “ _ Fuck me _ already! I don’t wanna be here all week!"

Jack froze.

Rhys blinked, looking up at Jack’s shadowed face, trying to read it. Fuck. He definitely crossed a line. While he’d been wanting Jack to take him apart, he didn’t want to go so far as to make Jack leave. Shit, shit, shit- “Jack, wait, I-”

Jack pile-drived into him, leaning closer and baring his teeth. 

Rhys cried out in time to the thrusts, fists clenching into the sheets from the overwhelming mix of agony and ecstasy.

“This good enough for you, princess?” Jack sneered. “Or should I just leave you here to deal with yourself!?” He moved harder, and it was exactly what Rhys had been needing and wanting and craving and -  _ oh goddd. _

“Bet your ass I’m your god. God of pleasure right now.”

Rhys must’ve said that outloud. He didn’t even care. 

“You still haven’t even begged me, Rhys,” Jack crooned, sounding disappointed.

“Jack,” Rhys complained.

Jack slowed his movements, drawing them to a frustratingly slow pace. “Come on, Rhysie. Tell me how much you want it.”

Rhys hissed. For some reason, he wanted to be defiant. “Jaack, come on, fuck-” He squeezed his muscles around Jack’s dick, but it didn’t seem to encourage him. Jack’s movements were frighteningly controlled and deliberate.

“You really need to work on your language, baby cakes.”

Jack stopped altogether, laughing quietly. He leaned down, brushing his lips to Rhys’s ear. “I can do it, you know...leave you just like this. You’re such a little greedy slut now that you finally have my dick, you'd probably start cryin' without it, yeah?"

Rhys’s hands slipped from his legs, and he looped his thighs possessively around Jack’s hips, head swimming. He tried to drag the man closer, but Jack shook his head. “Come on, Rhys. You know what you gotta do for it.” He attacked the other side of Rhys’s neck, teeth digging in. Rhys shivered.

“Jack...please,” he whimpered, relenting. “Come on, just-”

Jack moved again, sinking into Rhys and pulling out, then back in and out. With each rock, Rhys needed more. He tightened his legs on Jack’s waist. “Please, Jack,  _ please _ . Give it to me, please!”

“Thaaat’s the ticket,” Jack murmured, picking up the pace with each desperate word out of Rhys’s mouth. "Keep convincing me that you need this, Rhysie."

“Please, please, please-” Rhys chanted, couldn’t dream of doing anything else.

Jack’s eyes were bright and wild, and one might have mistaken them for anger, but Rhys  _ knew _ . Somehow, he knew it was a mix of pleasure and exhilaration. He didn’t really know how he knew, he just did. He reached out for Jack and Jack seemed to understand. Jack leaned closer over him, letting Rhys hook his hands behind his shoulders to ground himself. Rhys shook at the sensations, unable to control his own noises anymore. 

Jack’s pace soon hit that quick, wrecking speed that took Rhys’s ability to think apart. Rhys's whole body sang on each easy glide against that sensitive sweet spot inside.

“You’re so gorgeous, Rhysie, baby,” Jack let out somewhere between a moan and a growl “God, I’ve missed you so much.” His hands ran down Rhys’s body. “You’re my special boy, you know that? Everything from your sassy fuckin’ lips to your long legs. I just. Need it all so much. I don’t even know why.”

Rhys cursed, shivering. Those words really hit something in him. His cock throbbed. “Fuck. I’m so close… Jaack.. Please..” Maybe it was his wrecked state, but it felt like some piece missing from Rhys’s life had finally fallen into place. His fingers dug hard into Jack, and Jack’s mouth went to his neck once more, nipping and sucking on the raw flesh. It felt so fucking good. “Jack-”

“Did you, Rhys? You miss this?” Jack purred, drawing back, voice warm and softer than Rhys had ever heard it, eyes hooded. “ _ Rhys… _ ”

“ _ Jack- _ ” Rhys rocked his hips as much as he could, not really accomplishing much at this angle. His hands flew up to the back of Jack’s neck to pull him back to him. Jack moaned in his ear and it was a blissful sound. “Jack, you- You’re amazing and- I  _ need  _ it please!” His fingers tangled in Jack’s hair. “Yes, I- I need this! You have no idea-” He was unable to formulate a single coherent thought.

He just chanted Jack’s name.

Jack kissed his port.

Rhys came, tightening around Jack’s cock. He might’ve screamed. He wasn’t sure under the intense bliss. His emotions and the sensations made a tidal wave in his mind that crashed against any attempt at thinking, over and over. As it faded, he realized there was something warm under his fingernails. Jack’s blood? He was concerned by this, given his cybernetic hand. 

Jack didn’t seem to notice it, though.

“Fuck-” Jack snarled, his thrusts rougher and more uneven. Jack somehow pressed their bodies even closer. “FUCK.  _ Rhy- _ !” Jack’s voice broke and it was a beautiful sound. “Hnnng.”

Rhys assumed he came just then, as his body shook under Rhys’s hands violently. Rhys couldn’t help but pet his hair and hold Jack’s face close. Rhys let out a small exhale, running his hand down Jack’s neck to his back, feeling out the knobs of his spine. Their chests heaved together, and Rhys delighted in the way their bodies were pressed stickily together.

But how long would Jack allow it?

Rhys just held on for as long as Jack did.

Far too soon, the closeness was over. Jack sighed and pulled out. Rhys was forced to release him, his limbs falling limply away, overused. Jack disposed of the condom in a nearby trash bin with a swift movement. He let out a huge yawn and slumped onto the bed beside Rhys, grabbing blindly for a blanket. 

Time to go. Rhys slowly sat up, grumbling, his body aching in all the best ways. He started to slip off the bed, forcing himself not to think yet.

An arm looped suddenly around his waist and pulled him back onto the mattress - right against Jack’s chest. “Did I say you could go, cupcake?” Jack murmured, sounding amused. “What’s the hurry?”

“I…” Rhys trailed off. There was nothing but the sounds of their breathing, and his head was still spinning. There was a sudden thick sludge of shame in his heart. “I don’t know. I didn't think you'd want--and I should probably--”

“Stay with me.”

It sounded like a command, but also a plea.  _ Don’t leave again. _

Rhys’s throat thickened. He fought with himself for a minute before giving in to the feeling of Jack’s broad arm looped over his bare waist. Fuck it. He would deal with the consequences later, however painful. He didn’t know how to yet, but future-him could figure it out. He didn’t want to think right now. In fact, he was very tired. He hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately, and he hadn’t gotten  _ any _ last night. He settled into the soft mattress, almost despising how good this feeling was, Jack’s heat against his body.

“Okay,” he said, surrendering to the fact he was totally fucked, and may as well fuck everything up even more.

Jack hummed and pulled the blanket over them both.

Rhys probably should’ve used that syringe in his vest, but even as he had the thought, he knew in his heart, he would never be able to. He shut his eyes, feeling tears in them.

_ I’m sorry, Kat. _

Rhys fought back his emotions, shifting to curl up tighter against Jack. He faced him and rested his head on Jack’s chest, slow,  _ whooshing  _ breaths in his ear along with the steady thumping of Jack’s heart. He didn’t know where he was going to go from here. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. But right now he just wanted to enjoy the warmth, realizing just how much he’d needed this, needed the contact with another person.

And through it all, he got that strange sense of comfort and familiarity anew. He was more sure than ever he’d been missing something for a long time and now he was whole. That should have given him some peace. All he felt was more confused. How did he even begin to-

As if summoned by Rhys’s inner turmoil, a message popped up on his Echo.

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Rhys, are you okay?

Fuck. Was he waiting? Rhys was going to have to allay any suspicions for as long as possible. Maybe he would still do what he meant to...after a nap. He was getting so sleepy, eyes drooping. He managed a single message back.

> [ **rHy5W1NZ** ]: I’m gonna be a bit. I gotta lay low for a while. But I promise I’m fine. Maybe you should go back to Maliwan. I’ll catch up, I promise.

What was one more lie in this complicated mess?

> [ **Kat❤️** ]: Sounds good. Can’t wait to celebrate!

Exhaustion gnawed at the edges of Rhys’s mind and he let it pull him down into the peaceful darkness, falling asleep listening to the sounds of Jack’s heartbeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment or a kudo and let us know if you enjoyed it!  
> More soon to come!
> 
> If you want to know more about the eventual relationships, just ask!


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